High Tide: Isis's Retribution
by CoRpAsItE
Summary: Once again diving into the world of zombies and mutants, Dusty must return to his hell on earth. A hell that was supposed to be destroyed. A new virus runs rampant, old enemies return.. Sadly no I'm not dead. Sorry to disappoint.
1. Separation

High Tide: Isis's Retribution

Dedication: The first of its kind... I dedicate this story to the two people who have stuck with me since my early days... Hyperactive Hamster of Doom and Shakahnna... Anyone who hasn't read their work must do so now!! Quit reading this and go read their stories!! They are worth it!! Both of you have given me something different to help with the writing of Evanescent Dreams and End Game: High Tide... Thank you ladies.. You both have been bigger helps than you realize..

Disclaimer: As always, Do not own Resident Evil.. Just own copies of the games...

Chapter One: Separation

Heavy, solid rain slaps the monstrous concrete buildings as a single car glides to a silent stop, the engine drowned out by the panicking lightning. The drops of water shift direction, now almost blowing horizontally as a strong breeze shoots down the oily road. A loan figure walks down the street, matted brown hair and a deep, almost wishful smile plastered to his face, despite the soaked red hoodie now plastered to his stocky frame. From the small rearview mirror in the red car, three young men, all of them looking not a second older than twenty watch their target pull out a small key, almost losing it as the metal sliver slides off the leather gloves.

As the man inserts the key into the door, static pierces the near-silent car, "Sir, target in sight, do we have permission to engage?"

Their target disappears into the house as lightning crashes again, making everything seem as though it's a part of an over-exposed photo for a brief second, "No.. Stracener will be expecting that.. Drop one of you off here... He will take care of him, the others need to get to the airport and get the girl.. Do not kill either one of them.. As my fun does not need to be interrupted..."

Of the three goons in the small vehicle, the big Asian in the back gets out, his black nightstick clacking on the metal door loudly. The door shuts and the car slowly takes off, leaving the hunter with his prey. His dark eyes watch the building, waiting for a light to signify what room, but finally turns away to grab a small white cigarette from the pack in his breast pocket. Lightning yet again covers everything, giving the appearance that the bolt of electricity just stuck his coffin nail alight, gray smoke twirling and fading away before another gust of wind sweeps the dangerous breath away.

A single window flashes to life, "There we are... Time for the fun to begin..."

**Three hours later**

"Ugh... What the hell happened?"

Dusty Stracener pushes up, but has a hard time as the two mattresses are pinned on top of his person, applying too much pressure to push off. The man grunts and slowly crawls out from under the spring-mattresses, sighing in relief as he is released from the burden.

A shaky hand runs through matted chocolate hair and he groans, "Ah shit... What time is it? Damn it... Need to go pick up Aya from the airport.. She is gonna kill me for being so late..."

Dusty tries to stand up, but drops as a sharp pain courses through his right leg, a big cramp. The ex-policeman frowns and rubs it out, the pain lessening from the light massage. When the pain has passed, Dusty's attention is drawn to a ringing sound coming from a hidden cell phone. The beaten man screams as he cannot find it in the ransacked house.

"HAH! Hello?" calls out Dusty as he manages to locate the missing device.

The voice is deep, fast, and to the point, "South Side Docks, alone, twenty minutes. You'll come if you want the girl... Alive..."

A deep, almost unforgiving growl shakes the room as Dusty crushes his phone as the shadowy adversary closes the connection. Dusty stands to his feet and walks through his distressed house, finally stopping at a closet down the hall. Quick hands throw the door off its hinges, toss the stuff inside out, and pull up a small box covered in dust.

The brunette smirks as he pulls up the M93R handgun and a few extra clips, "Well... Seems this counts as a second date Aya..."

Dusty reaches into his pockets and hisses, "Damn it, they took my fucking keys.. SHIT!"

11

"Well, glad to see you are alive and w..."

The hidden figure can not even finish the phrase as a swift knee is raised up, right between his legs, "Who the fuck are you and where the hell am I?"

Aya Akechi's green eyes flash open, then take on a smug expression themselves as she watches her captor writhe on the floor. Legs move, but the female scientist can not rise up any higher as tight bindings hold her to the metal chair.

"As I was saying," the man stands up, revealing a face that the auburn-haired woman thought was dead, "I am glad to see you are alive and well... Though one can not say for how much longer..."

"Thomas... Glad to see venom is one of the many things you are immune to... Seems Isis is even more potent than our research team realized..."

HCF scientist Thomas Weidick smiles and places one shaking hand between his legs, trying to alleviate the nauseating pain swelling toward his stomach, "Quite.. But there is one last piece of business I must attend to before the grenade-toting bastard arrives..."

The Philippine soldier leans in, producing a rather large cattle prod from somewhere on his person, for Aya cannot discern the item's hidden place. She growls and tries to knee him again, but her legs are bound, a thick, rather wet and disgusting tentacle wrapped around them, pinning the redhead's weapons of choice to the cold tile.

"See, I am adapting to things as we speak... Now, you are going to tell me what I want to know... And I am not going to let you get away with lies.."

Small, red lips open as a yawn escapes the woman's lips, which then turn upward, "Hmm... I thought someone of your..." green eyes gaze him up and down, "Condition would enjoy the hunt before I give any information... Tell you what..."

Aya applies her most seductive look to her round face, "You catch me... I will tell you anything you want to know..."

The bio-organic weapon chuckles loudly, the strident sound reminding her of a school bell, "Sorry, but your feminine wiles will not work on me... I have grown beyond the need for women..."

"I," comes the reply, "beg to differ.. You may say that, but your own body belies you..."

Thomas stares down at his tentacle, which has dropped off her legs, but nothing can be gained from this as two white sneakers are driven into his mouth, knocking several ivory blocks loose. The male soars back, his spine connecting with the door as he falls down, unconscious upon impact.

While her captor was flying back, Aya keeps flipping back over the chair, freeing her arms and landing square on her feet, "You will get your chase no matter what..."

The Japanese woman slides her arms over the doorknob and she pulls back, the ropes snapping from the tension. Footsteps sound off as the door opens, then quickly shuts, Aya now free for the moment.

_You better get here and fast Dusty..._

11

"Sir! There is a motorcycle heading our way!"

Thomas's voice filters through the communications unit and replies, "Well, destroy it."

The goon steps back and holds up his shotgun, "We.. We can't sir.."

A silence, then Thomas sighs, he expected this, "Well? Why not?"

The goon tries to reply, but a speeding fist sends him to the floor, dead upon impact. As the motorcycle roars off, a single shout lands upon deaf ears.

"Thomas! You sick FUCK!"

Chestnut hair flaps in the wind as Dusty speeds through the pier, nearly losing his head by dangerously short lengths between him and the freight boxes. The engine screams as the pissed male spots the ship that his girl has to be on. With a twist of his body, the small two-wheeled vehicle turns to face the loading ramp. A sick grin crosses Dusty's face as the ramp is quickly pulled back by two guards, leaving what he guesses to be a thirty to forty foot gap. With a twist of the left wrist the engine roars louder, almost resembling the Genesis Creature from Riley. _Am gonna have to repay that kid for this bike.. Cause he will not see it again..._

"Come on.. Do not fail me now..."

The world shrinks as Dusty squints and leans back, pulling the bike off the front wheel, allowing the revving motorcycle to land on the ramp evenly. Before he can imagine the flight, he is gliding through the air, catching a glimpse of who the target is supposed to be, then uses his feet to push the two-wheeled vehicle toward the soldier. The bike dies and slams into the heavily armed and armored soldier, apparently killing him as blood lines the walls of the cargo crates in the general vicinity.

"One down.. 'Bout a hundred to go... Not a bad start... Hold on babe, I'm coming..."

The enraged zombie-killer lands on the deck hard and rolls forward, trying to lessen the blow. His black boots scrape the ground, trying to beat inertia, but fails as he quickly careens down the stairs, metal rails and pipes missing his ragged frame, but that soon stops as his legs and back connect with the metal flooring.

Dusty holds his legs and softly hisses in pain, "That sucked... Agh... Okay... Now, to hide so no one will know where I am..."

The male slowly looks around for a room or crevice to hide in, but has to settle for the old cliche of behind the pipes... His large frame manages to slide behind the metal rods just as a few armed mercenaries come running through the cramped hallways. Dusty ignores everything about the men just to settle his gaze upon the insignias on their backs.

_HCF... So could Thomas be back after all?_

"Sir, no one is here..." reports one of the figures into his microphone.

The soldier's face cuts into despair as someone, possibly Thomas, berates him from behind the wiring, "Yes sir.. Sorry sir.. We will keep looking."

Dusty smirks from his hiding spot and slowly pulls out his knife, since the one who's been talking moves up the steps, while the other remains behind.

Chestnut hair moves out and he twirls the knife around, _First mistake, turning their back to me..._

The soldier has no idea what hits him before the a silver blade is penetrating his spine and heart, killing the HCF member on impact.

Dusty kicks the man's body to the ground and places a scratch on the barrel of his M79 with the bloody dagger, "One..."

Dusty turns to go after the other soldier, but is sent over the first cadaver as a pair of boots are thrown into his face. The other soldier lets his grasp on the railing overhead loosen so to drop down, driving a large knee into the intruder's back. The ex-lieutenant screams in pain and rolls to the left, and drives the edge of the blade into his attacker's shin, causing him to join Dusty on the ground. Before the man can react, Dusty is on top of him with the blade pressed firmly on its side against the guard's neck.

"Now," the male shifts his weight around to a more comfortable position, for him anyway, "where is my girl?"

The soldier groans under him and replies, "You are going to have to kill me... Cause I do not know..."

Dark chocolate eyes flash, but his hand is still, "Why are you so eager to die?"

Before the other soldier, Cp. Pearcy as the badge implies, can reply, something wet is wrapping around Dusty's neck, strangling the life out of him.

The brunette turns to face, "Holy shit... You have got to be kidding me!!"

The form strangling him is the mutated soldier he just killed. The red-colored body, black eyes, but not a zombie... More like an Alpha Hunter... _It has to be Isis..._ The Hunter screams in his face and clenches its teeth, causing the tentacle to tighten its death hold.

"Hah! That is why I am so eager for you to kill me! Everyone on this ship has the dormant strain of Isis... When we are killed, the virus comes to life and mutates us... As we speak, the ones you killed up there are coming back... Soon you will have an entire ship of Isis-enemies..."

Dusty growls and brings his left knee up, driving it into the mutant's head, snapping the cranium off neatly. The body drops dead for a second time as Dusty kicks off it, flips through the air, and lands on the still-living soldier, knife aiming for his forehead.

The trapped soldier lifts his head to the knife and screams, "Do it! Kill me!"

Dusty smirks, pulls a grenade from a pouch, the places it in the soldier's mouth, but not before setting the timer to ten seconds. The defeated guard protests, but Dusty slits his throat, stopping all conversation.

"Bye..." smirks the ex-officer as he walks down further into the freighter, farther from the booby-trapped soldier.

Dusty snaps the stolen com-piece over his ear and listens as a new soldier or two arrives at his trap, "Sir, we found Slater. But.. Oh no.."

A great quake pounds through the ship, sending a few pipes crashing around Dusty. He looks around and sighs, not really wanting to kill people before he gets to them...

_This, is gonna be one HELL of a night... Don't worry Aya, I'm coming for ya!_

11

Red hair swishes as Aya slides around a corner on her stomach, having tripped over a table a few seconds prior. Aya scrambles to her feet and rips off her lab coat, then runs at the soldier holding a gun in the woman's direction. She growls and tosses the coat at him, it slaps into his face, but he can't do a thing as she grabs the sleeves, pulls them down, and drives the soldier to the ground. She reaches down and grasps the rifle, having to slow down a bit to get a good grip.

"Stop her!"

She ignores the screams and gunshots as the redhead dives into a room, rifle rounds digging into the floor at her feet. Green eyes close as bullets puncture the wall, sending white chalk everywhere. Aya coughs, the chalk upsetting her throat horribly. Her white shoes swipe the tile as she slowly climbs back up right.

"This," she huffs between rushed gasps, "sucks.. Got a lunatic following me, people shooting at me, and no sign of that crazed bastard... But, what was that explosion?"

A familiar face appears around the corner, the sick smile sending cold chills down her back, "Hello again... If you give up now, I will forgive you for kneeing me in the children..."

Aya spits at him, causing him to reel back. He turns to face her, but receives a rifle-butt to the face, sending Thomas to the floor. She jumps over him and prepares to run down the hall, but a wet tentacle wraps around her slender neck, choking the life out of her. The woman is pulled back to the mutant human, the scowl on his face more unsettling than his smile earlier.

The tentacle pulsates with each flex of his muscles, "Now.. I am afraid we cannot forgive you now..."

Aya stares into his black eyes and grunts, "We?"

Thomas laughs as five to six Isis-creatures stalk around the corner, slightly resembling the Alpha Hunters from a few years ago, "This can't... Be happening..."

The bio-human before her smirks and holds up his hand, the Hunter-Men staying in their place, though the anticipation is evident in their sporadic movements, "See, Miss Akechi.. I have been working on Isis for the past 4 years, ever since that day I was reduced to a puddle of my own enzymes... And I would rather not talk about how I came back either... But," he sighs, "I digress.. Using samples of my own blood, and this fine HCF facility... I have managed to make the newest virus ever known to man.. Perfectly flawless.."

The auburn-haired hostage leans against the wall, still clutching the machine gun, "So, tell me.. What do you call this 'super-virus'?"

Thomas chuckles and holds up a vial of the virus and slowly opens his mouth, "I call it Mutante.."

Aya arches an eyebrow and spurts, "Wait? Mutante? You can't come up with anything better? I thought you were one of HCF's best scientists? Fusion is a better name..."

The male before her scowls and turns away from her, "Kill her..."

Aya raises the M4 as the five monsters step forward, each of them producing tentacles from their wrists. The woman frowns and rolls back as a tentacle tries to snag her.

The wet appendage slams into the ground, shattering the tile and the concrete underneath, "Holy shit, that could have killed..."

But she can't finish as she is sent flying back from the force of another tentacle. She slams into the wall and impressions her form into the stucco and sheet rock. Aya pushes from the wall and faces the men before her. A smile crosses her lips as she runs down the hall, leaving her adversaries behind for a quick moment.

11

"Some kind of viscous liquid on the floor... Not something I would want to eat any time soon..." mumbles Dusty as he runs a finger through the black film.

He swipes the finger along his pants leg to clean it off and stands back up, groaning as his knees pop loudly. The male grabs his M93R and pulls back on the barrel, finally loading a round into the chamber. Three distinct sets of footsteps bang behind him, signaling the arrival of the new patrol.

"Nothing here sir."

"Confirmed.. Will continue searching with sector twelve... Understood."

Dusty smirks and slowly creeps back into the shadows, but silently curses as a bright light is flashed on him, "I found the intrud.. AGH!"

The man is stopped in his words as Dusty fires a round right through his neck, severing the spine instantly. Gunshots pelt the walls and pipes around him as the other two soldiers open fire. Dusty growls and jumps at them, throwing his butterfly knife at the closest one. The blade drives into his hands, pinning them together, giving Dusty the chance he needs to drive his left knee into the wounded soldier's face, driving his teeth into his own skull.

"Need help! Send reinforcements!"

Dusty smiles and tosses the dead soldier at the last one, sending him crashing against the wall, a look of pain and agony on his face. Upon further inspection, Dusty finds that both soldiers are pinned on a pipe, steam rising from the bloody wounds.

"Well, that was easy.. A few more down..." mumbles the ex-cop as he scratches a few more marks on his M79.

Just on a hunch, Dusty pulls a grenade from the body of one of the men and pulls the pin, nonchalantly dropping it down the stairs behind him. A smile shoots across his lips as an explosion rocks his footing, and a few screams filter through the creaking metal and crackling flames.

"Oohh... Incendiary grenades.. Might want to save a few of these..." drools Dusty as he pockets the four black grenades.

He turns around, but immediately throws his hands up as four shotgun barrels are thrown in his face, "You are coming with us Mr. Stracener."

Dusty sighs and replies, "Might as well.. You will take me to Aya.. Makes my job easier... Take me away boys..."

**First chapter out of the way.. Dead bodies that mutate? Hunter-Humans?**


	2. Reunion

Chapter Two: Reunion

Disclaimer: As always, Don't own Resident Evil.. Just own the games...

The large metal door before Dusty flies open to reveal the most ironic reunion ever: The meeting of a Fallen Angel and a Demon.

Thomas smirks and uncrosses his knees, "Welcome to my humble abode Mr. Stracener..."

The brunette spits in his face and retorts, "Do not act like you know me..."

Thomas holds his heart and replies, while he slowly swipes the bile and saliva from his face, "Aw, come on now.. Do not act like our experiences in Riley and Isle Eras mean nothing to you... We bonded, you and I did.. We share a common bond... A blood bond if you will..." he holds up his left palm, revealing a scar.

Dusty holds up his own left palm and stares at the similar scar in disgust, the same scar they both suffered from the final battle between them in Riley, "I am nothing like you... Just because we share a scar does not mean I owe you anything..."

The mutant before him smirks, "Nor do I... We also share one more item in common.. Well, more of a person..."

Brown eyes flash, and Dusty reaches for the grenade in his pocket, but a blade is pressed against his throat, "Reach for it again, and Irand will take your life in a mere second..."

Dusty growls and knocks the blade away, "I swear, if you touch her in any way, I will blow this entire ship to kingdom come and back..."

Thomas nods and stands up, taking a few smooth steps toward the, after a slight struggle, unarmed man, "That, my friend, is why we are leaving this ship to sink to the black depths... We are heading back to a place I know you are fond of..."

Dusty frowns and replies, "Isle Eras?" and slowly taps his left foot against his right ankle.

Thomas's ears perk at the near silent beep and he dives away from the three soldiers behind his rival, Dusty doing the same. Beeping fills the small room as the soldiers start tearing off their armor and tossing their weapons aside.

_That is not gonna help you..._

"My god," gasps the black soldier, "Irand, it is you..."

Irand looks down at himself as the other two slowly back away, "Help me..." then his entire left side blows off, his right half slapping the metal floor mutely.

Dusty rolls around and holds his ears, "Ah, damn ringing..."

Thomas slowly stands up and shoves a finger into each ear, popping them, "Boy, that was one hell of a trick Dusty..."

The brunette stands up and his hands are quickly bound, as are his legs, by the remaining two soldiers.

Thomas walks up to him and nudges his face aside with his boot, "Throw him in the boat.. Put him with his bitch..."

Dusty growls and tries to snap at Thomas's ankle, but fails, "I will kill you!!!"

11

Emerald eyes flash open as a loud bang shakes her dream away, "What the hell?"

Aya slowly crawls toward the bound human before her and turns him to face her, "Dusty?!"

Dusty laughs and smirks, "Good to see you Aya... Sorry I wasn't able to pick you up from the airport..."

The redhead laughs to herself and works on breaking the straps on his arms and legs, but he wiggles away from her, "Nah, leave me.. It'll only cause us more problems if I'm untied... Just help me get my arms in front of me."

Aya nods and struggles to work her 'savior's' arms under his legs. After a short struggle, the two manage to somewhat free his arms. Bones crack as Dusty leans back, a sigh escaping his lips.

"Better?" asks the woman.

The brunette nods and leans back against the wall, "Yeah, thanks Aya. You know where we're headed?"

She shakes her head, so her friend responds, "Isle Eras.."

The shock is evident in her expression, "But we destroyed the place! There was nothing left but a crater filling with water!"

Being ever-calm in the presence of danger, Aya wipes the sweat from her face frantically, "This can't be happening.. Thomas was killed by that snake... The facility exploded... I. I... I..."

Her brunette counterpart scoots closer to her and looks into her eyes, "Hey.. Aya.. AYA! Calm down... We're gonna get out of here alive and well... Trust me..."

The redhead looks down at him and smiles, "Why is it, that whenever you say that, I can't help but laugh?"

Dusty shrugs and leans back, "I do not know.. Could be that the last time I said that, we were nearly blown to pieces..."

They both laugh lightly, but it quickly fades as they hear Thomas barking orders like a deranged Doberman. The metal shutter above the two hostages flies open and a rope is dropped down in front of them. Cloth meeting twine echoes around the room as Thomas slides down, a sinister grin accentuating his teeth, a few of which Dusty has knocked out in the past. His black combat boots slap the metal floor hard and their captor squats down in front of them.

The nightshade-haired male snorts and frowns, "Well, look at what we have here... Two lovebirds trapped in their cage... So.. Why don't we skip the pleasantries and get right down to business... I want you both dead, and you both want me dead..."

Dusty laughs loudly and glares into his black eyes, "Wrong. I want to see you melting into a puddle of Freshly-Squeezed-Thomas... But, seeing you just dead is enough for me..."

Thomas's frown quavers into a snarl, giving a slight warning to the punch that slams across his rival's face. Blood spatters across the wall from his mouth as Dusty's head snaps to the right. Thomas cracks his knuckles and slowly stands up, then proceeds to kick his head against the wall one time.

"Mouth off to me and I will skin you alive and make this bitch wear the skin..." spurts the mutant as he clambers back up the twine.

Dusty slowly brings his head around and coughs, crimson plasma slowly covering his jean shorts and legs. Aya tears off a piece of her lab coat and wipes his mouth clean, all the while cursing that Philippine monster. Dusty groans and licks the tear in his top lip, which, despite Aya's frantic cleaning, is still coating his mouth and chin in blood.

"Don't bother.. It will stop.. Not the first time my lip has been busted..." he breathes in and then gasps in pain, "Ow.. Guess I deserved that hit.."

Aya sighs in exasperation and drops the bloodied cloth, "You will never change, will you?"

The brunette looks at her and smiles, the blood kind of offsetting his appearance, "Not as long as I can still talk and walk!"

Aya gasps and tumbles over Dusty as the small boat they are in shifts speed and begins to slow down.

Aya sits up and swishes the hair from her face, "Son of a bitch... You could be a LITTLE easier on the DAMN brakes!!"

She turns, her jade eyes lying on Dusty's cinnamon, and the slick look to his face, "You are a little feisty today.. Anything particularly bothering you Aya?"

She shrugs and stands up, "No, just the fact I was abducted from the airport in YOUR car, brought to a freighter, faced with a monster from our past, and nearly killed on two accounts... Nothing is bothering me, no..."

The brunette tilts his head and replies, a slight hint of sarcasm evident, "Sorry I asked..." a light scours down on them from above, "we are here..."

Four men drop down on nylon harnesses and grab Dusty and Aya, neither fighting back from the magnums and shotguns trained on them. Being blown to pieces would do neither of them any good at this point.

"Welcome to Isle New Eras. Completely rebuilt from the crater you left me..."

Dusty and Aya both look through the glass window at what should not be, the island almost exactly as it was those long, drawn out years ago.

_Eight years to be exact..._ thinks the redhead as the two are pushed off the boat and into the water.

Thomas tosses a float-ring and calls down, "You better swim and fast... The Betas still remember what you did to their home!"

Dusty and Aya bob in the water as the boat slowly moves toward the island, nearly four hundred meters out. The male punches the water and screams, but reluctantly begins to trudge through the waist-deep water to the wooded-island.

His friend paddles past him and turns to her back, lightly backstroking, "Better swim if you want to get to the island before THEY get to us..."

Brown eyes widen as Dusty dives into the clear water, four dark smudges crawling over the crystal liquid. The male's legs close in to his body as four razor-sharp claws separate the water like Moses parting the Red Sea. They crash down, nearly snagging his flipping left leg. The male is pulled to the shore by the female just as the four Beta-Hunters slam into the muddy bank, sending the two hostages up into the air.

11

"Heh.. They survived the Betas.. For now..."

A large, burly soldier steps up next to Thomas, sharing his view of the ocean from the fifth floor of the rebuilt Host Mansion, "Shall I go take care of them..."

Black eyes close momentarily, then a sly smile breaks his humble appearance, "Quite the contrary, Lobo... I want you to grab a few guns, and meet them.. Put on a wonderful show and gain their trust... Then, when the time is right, take care of them... But do it quietly.. I got members of Umbrella's Executive Board arriving to discuss the selling of Isle New Eras..."

Major Chang Lobo smiles, revealing the several missing teeth that dot his mouth, and laughs heartily, "No problem sir.. Want me to grab anything in particular for our guests?"

Thomas smirks and hands him a list, the white piece of paper folded as to hide the contents from the world. Lobo gracefully opens the list, surprising for a man of his size and stature, and frowns at the list.

"Something wrong Chang?"

"Um," he stumbles to find the right words, "you sure you want to..."

He can't finish as his superior by two ranks jams his fist into Lobo's sternum, cracking it in two places. Lobo doubles over and coughs, the sound ragged and disgust-filled.

"Question me again and you won't get the chance to stumble back... That wound will not hinder your abilities... Much..."

Lobo hacks up some phlegm and slowly crawls to his oversized feet, the boots thudding the ground as he does so. The Chinese mercenary growls and slowly walks out, a hand placed directly over his sternum, the pain slight and annoying. He walks past one of the few men directly under him and jams the list into his chest.

"What is...?"

"Do not ask.. Just get me those damn guns.. I will be in the foyer awaiting them... If I do not get them in fifteen minutes, it will be your head..."

The soldier nods and salutes, then quickly runs out to the armory, grabbing a bag before opening the large metal retaining doors.

_If those doors weren't there, everything would be so simple.. But Weidick is so damn secretive... Better keep my mind on the mission at hand.. From what he's told me, this Dusty can read people... Was it through their eyes or their voice? Better wear sunglasses anyway..._

Lobo snaps on a pair of Special Ops sunglasses, the kind with the digital HUD, and turns them on, a few meters and such rising up the sides and across the top and bottom. As he reaches the staircase, a cold chill runs down his spine, a sudden realization that makes his blood boil.

"I am his damn sacrificial lamb... He knows I will be dead half an hour after I meet them... Why is he sending me off to die?"

A slight breeze blows past him, signaling that someone has appeared behind him, but the voice is not one he expects, "Because... You are no longer of any use to me..."

For the first time in his thirty-seven years, the Chinese soldier is struck with disbelief, "What do you mean sir?"

11

Thomas laughs inwardly at the evident shock and fear in his voice, "Oh my dear Lobo... You did not really believe that I would leave you to die without a gift that might guarantee your safety, did you?"

He feels Chang relax, a big mistake, as the mutant drives his foot into the back of Lobo's left knee, sending the larger man into the wall. Thomas then grabs the man's neck and pulls him back, bending the man backwards while he just squats. Before the Major can blink, Thomas has a large combat knife dredged across his left cheek.

Chang gasps as his air is cut of, but Thomas releases his grip only slightly, "My gift is no weapon, no keen words of advice, not even a damn piece of body armor... What I am going to give you is a piece of reasonable doubt to place in Dusty's mind about your true connection to us..."

Thomas growls and drives the blade home, forming a two inch gash across his left cheek and jaw. He drops the wounded man to the ground and drives the blade down, slicing the skin on his arm to the point of constant bleeding..

"Tell them," rasps Thomas between blood-lust gasps, "that you were wounded trying to escape... Do not mention me... Now, get out of my sight before I kill you where you stand..."

11

"Dun dun dun dun, dun dun dun dun, JAWS!!!" screams Dusty as he and his partner stare down at the four Betas still trying to get at them, their voiceless howls causing bubbles to permeate the surface, breaking up the perfect view of their mutated faces.

Aya places a hand on her face and sighs into it, "You will never change..."

Dusty screams like a little girl as one of the blue behemoths jumps from the water, the salt-scent heavy on its scaled form. It slashes at him, but the female behind him pulls his form back, a few brown strands separating solemnly.

"That bastard cut my hair!" whines the brunette as they both slowly walk toward the mansion still in its same spot right in the middle of the island.

Red hair flies into the air as Aya huffs, "Quit whining... You sound like me.. And that is scary..."

Dusty, either delusional, or reverting into one of his good moods, looks at her with the best puppy-dog eyes he can manage, then sneers, "They say married couples start to look and act alike..."

Aya stops dead in her tracks, "You promising me something?"

Her friend just smirks and continues walking, seemingly oblivious to the sundry eyes staring at them, and the light growls and moans that are spilling from the forestry around them like a plague sent by the Devil himself.

"Hey Aya," murmurs Dusty over the rustling leaves.

She looks at him, "Yeah?"

Without moving or blinking, the male slowly responds, "Get down.."

Aya drops without question, her body lying as flat as possible against the cold dirt. A hot body is flying over her one second, then a wet coolness is slapping against her back. Dusty shouts something, but it's lost over the sizzling of her lab coat.

_Another spitting creature.. Not an ivy..._ is all that runs through her mind as she stands and tears her coat off.

Her emerald green eyes widen as she sees a.. A... A.. A monkey-like animal, big enough to be a furry car, jumps toward her, a large red bulb of skin growing with the sound of a cat coughing up a hairball. Aya spins around, and drives her acid-covered coat across its face, the clothing wrapping around its mutated and deformed face. The monkey-thing howls in pain and runs back into the forest, smoke billowing in its wake from its sizzling face.

A warm arm is wrapped around her shoulders, "Well, babe, you are one hell of a fighter.. Never would have thought of that..."

Aya smirks and pushes his arm off her, "If you do not want to end up like Monkey, then I suggest you do not call me babe..."

The brunette laughs coolly and holds up his arms in mock-surrender, "Okay, fine, have it your way..."

Aya smiles and looks at the man she's come to know as slightly bi-polar, "Hey, doesn't this remind you of our first date?"

Dusty looks back at her and smirks, "If you are joking, that is cruel. If you are being sarcastic, that is even worse."

The redhead just smiles and keeps on walking, jabbing a finger or two in Dusty's side every now and then, "Doesn't it bother you that we are stuck on an island, destined to die, and we are happy?"

It was Dusty who asked the question, but both of them shake their heads, "Nah..."

**Another chapter down the drain, almost a page longer than I anticipated.. But had to get them to meet their first new enemy before I get to chapter 3... Chapter 3: Grief and Relief.**


	3. Grief and Relief

High Tide: Chapter Three: Grief and Relief

Disclaimer: As always, Don't own Resident Evil.. Just own the games...

"Hey! You!! Wait!!!"

Dusty and Aya both spin around at the same time, two pairs of eyes resting on a large man bumbling toward them, a large black bag slamming against his back and legs. Brown eyes scrutinize the large Asian as he barrels ever closer to them, a manic expression of fear on his face, blood gushing from the light flesh wound on his face, then down to the gun in his steady hands.

_STEADY hands... Anyone running from something rarely has steady hands.. Might want to watch him from here on out..._

The man stops in front of them and swipes the crimson on his face off on his sleeve, "Glad.. Glad I caught you.. I heard you were here and had to come for you... They wouldn't let me... I brought guns.. We can..."

Dusty snatches a handgun from the bag and aims it at the Asian, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The large man before them stands up straight and drops the bag, "Name is Chang Lobo, used to work for HCF, but turned against them.. Barely got out of there with my life.."

The brunette laughs and keeps the handgun trained on the raven-haired male before him, "Prove it..."

Mr. Lobo raises his left arm, revealing a large gash separating the bones in his arm, "Nearly took my arm off..."

Dusty prepares to step up and confront the man in his lie, but Aya runs forward, tearing off another strand of her coat, "Let me wrap that up..."

Lobo nods his thanks and sits down, dropping his heavy arm in his lap, "Got you all some guns," he eyes Dusty sardonically, "help yourself..."

The brunette frowns and spins the gun in his hands, "Italian M93R, used one of these last time I was here.. Sad though, it's not equipped for three-round auto-burst... This is going to be a wild guess, but seeing as things have been going my way, there has to be a M79 in there somewhere..."

Chang reaches into his bag and tosses the grenade launcher at the older male, "You're smart..."

Dusty catches the weapon and snaps the barrel down, revealing the golden aura of the 40mm grenade, "I like," then closes the barrel.

Aya smiles at Chang as she finishes his bandage and slowly pulls out a well-maintained shotgun with a few shells, "Well, this brings back memories doesn't it?"

Dusty laughs, but keeps his eyes on the wounded Asian sitting before them, but he shrugs the feeling off to slide a grenade strap over his arm and begins to load grenades in. Aya rolls her eyes at her friend and dumps shotgun shells into her pockets, then straps a gun harness around her right leg, then drops a random handgun in and slides a few spare clips around the strap.

Chang holds the large machine pistol in his hands as Dusty and Aya finish preparing their guns, then smirks at the almost too funny sight of the scrawnier male holding the grenade launcher, "That is by far the saddest thing I've ever seen.. You sure you know how to.."

Before he can finish, he is blown back by a grenade detonating several feet in front of him, "Finish that sentence and I won't miss..."

"You son of a bitch..." growls the Chinese Mercenary as he picks himself up, but gasps as a foot is pushing him to the ground.

Dusty leans in and places the barrel of the M93R and pulls back on the hammer, one little twitch of his finger will end this man's life, "Now that I have your entire attention... Let me set a few ground rules here... I rule. Everything I say goes... You have a thought or idea of your own, drop it. At this point you need me a lot more than I need you, so stay with me, don't wander off. We don't know what they have in those 'islands' over there, but I'm going to find out. But let me tell you one thing you damn chink."

Inside, Dusty hates resorting to racial slur, "Just because you're bigger than me does not mean you can just push me around... Got that?"

Chang grunts an affirmative reply as Dusty has too much pressure on his head to allow a spoken word. The brunette smiles and steps back, dropping the spent grenade casing and sliding another one in. A pair of white sneakers and black work boots sound off as the two survivors walk off, leaving the newest member of their group on the cold ground.

11

"Sir. There might be a small problem..."

Thomas growls at the sudden sounds that have woken him from his sleep, but reluctantly grabs the radio from his desk, "What is it Lobo?"

Lobo's voice is hushed and rushed, but Thomas can pick out the important words, "I can't direct them straight to the Isis-Tyrant chamber..."

The mutant sighs and twists the radio around, "I don't see the problem.. The less ammunition they have to fight it with, the better... Where are you headed first?"

A long drought of conversation from his enemy, then Chang comes back, "We're headed to the Hunter pen... Seems Dusty's got a personal..."

Thomas's eyes flash red, "What the hell did you just call him?"

He can hear Lobo's breath catch in that huge neck, "I mean.. Meant to say, 'Seems that bitch has a personal vendetta with the Hunters...' Sorry sir."

Thomas smirks, the only hint of happiness to date, and replies, "You still got those codes? Of course you do.. Let them into the Hunter Island and slowly vanish... Report back to me once you are gone."

Lobo replies over the radio, but it falls on deaf ears as Thomas has dropped the radio and is now half asleep again.

11

"Well?"

Chang looks up as Dusty points to the large metal doors with 'Hunter Island' carved and painted across it, "What?"

The brunette ex-cop taps the back of his hand against the door he's leaning against, "Open it.. I know you have the code..."

Chang arches an eyebrow and throws on a smug expression, "How do you know that?"

"You've," cuts Dusty's hard voice, "been repeating it silently ever since I knocked some sense into you..."

The Chinese man laughs heartily, "If you can read lips, then what is it?"

Dusty looks back at Aya who has just opened the door, "Got it.. You were right, it was 002548."

Brown eyes flash as Dusty smiles and steps inside, the cool farm-land looking area inviting, yet hiding a dark, dangerous secret. Chang's jaw hangs down as Aya slowly follows after him, the shotgun steady in her hands.

_That son of a bitch can read lips... I wonder..._

11

_If he knows I know he's not really against HCF? Possibly, but I do exaggerate the extent of his IQ..._

Dusty's ears tune out the voices, focusing on the chirping birds, the grating grasshoppers, and then to his left, the sound of claws tearing through wood. A sound he hasn't heard in so long, yet has missed dearly.

"Left," is all he says before the brunette is firing a grenade in the general direction of the sound.

A muffled boom, due to his tuning out of the surrounding sounds, echoes through his mind. Aya shouts something, but it's lost to the feeling of excitement as red body parts and flesh fly from the trees, not the red Hunter he was expecting.

_Hit it dead on... Lucky shot.. Won't happ... Straight ahead and a little to the right.. Got to be at least four.. Maybe seven at most... Two of them are the standard M121s..._

He's only able to tell cause two of the thundering sounds are actual running steps, the rest are the sounds of claws tearing into the wood.. Climbing Hunters... Gunshots ring out to his left, but Dusty throws his arm out.

"Stop! Wait for them to come to you... The closer they are, the harder it is to dodge for them..."

Chang growls and continues firing, at this point, all the sounds he's been ignoring are coming back, "No! Pump them full of lead before they get here! The closer they are, the harder it is to hit them!"

Aya is so far the only one to know Dusty's right, as she has yet to fire a single shot, taking this time to clean under her nails. The brunette trades the M79 for the M93R and slowly raises the barrel, the six BOWs finally coming into view.

The thundering footsteps grow ever louder, Aya's eyes finally looking over at her friend, "Now?"

Dusty shakes his head, ignoring the fact that Chang has gone through his third clip, and not one of the Hunter's have yet died. So far the score is Chang: Nothing. Hunters: Somewhere in the vicinity of 120...

The Hunters are now thirty meters away, Dusty is now seeing Aya grow a little antsy, "Okay, now."

Aya smiles and fires two quick shells, two Hunters flying back, their faces blown off neatly. Dusty fires three shots, only two Hunters going down, just how he wants it. The third Hunter he aimed for dove for the left, but Aya is on it, firing two quick blasts, one to knock its legs back, stopping it from getting to them, then another to sever the spinal column. Chang has stepped back by now, having to fumble for another gun, as his machine gun has jammed. Dusty smirks at the Chinese man and jumps back, dodging four claws as a Hunter has gotten too close. As the male flies through the air, he fires three rounds, two finding their mark, while one goes wide, digging into the leg of one getting too close to Aya and Chang. The brunette slams into the ground and raises his legs, slamming his boots into the wounded Hunter's chest as it dives for him. The Hunter protests and slashes at him as he forces it back into the air, his handgun already belching out rounds into its face.

"Well, that was uneventful..." sighs Dusty as he stands up to six dead Hunters, and a cursing Chang Lobo.

The Major glares over at them and drops the magnum back in the bag, all six rounds still in their chambers, "I hope you're proud of yourself Stracener..."

Dusty cocks his head sideways and smiles, his left hand rubbing the back of his neck, "Actually.. To be truthfully honest.. I am... I am damn pleased with myself..."

The younger male growls and tosses the bag at Aya, "I'm through... I'll listen to whatever you say..."

A frown, then a scowl crosses the oldest person's lips as he reaches out, grasps the bag, then tosses it back at Chang, "This woman carries nothing but her own stuff.. You carry you're own shit, and I'll carry mine.. You got that?"

The expression tells Dusty everything he needs to know, so he walks up to the larger man, having to look up into his eyes, "This woman is not your slave... You ever look, say, or do anything that shows me otherwise, I will personally rip your god forsaken balls off and force them into your ears and out your nose..."

Just for emphasis, the angry brunette taps the barrel of the M79 between Chang's legs, "And I have no problem tearing the balls off a man.. No, a boy that down-talks women..."

Chang audibly gulps and slides the bag over his head, then slowly walks after Dusty and Aya, his mercenary's attitude broken.. For the time being... The three walk in solemn silence, Dusty having his eyes closed periodically to listen for any threats, only opening his eyes to see where he's going.

"You okay Dusty?"

11

Aya knows her words probably shook Dusty from his trance, one of the few things he's developed over the years since they were last here.

Dusty's eyes slowly open and he gazes over at her, his cool eyes curbing the paranoia in her stomach, "Me? Yeah, I'm fine... Just.. Well..."

He leans in close, keeping his voice low, "Chang Lobo still works for HCF.. He's not against them in any shape, form, or fashion... Keep an eye on him for me will ya babe?"

Aya nods and nudges her friend in the side, "Sure thing. Just keep your ears open for anything..."

Dusty nods and closes his eyes, "Way ahead of ya there..."

Her green eyes watch him as he points in random directions, mumbling things to himself, possibly keeping track of what's where. That skill was one of the main reasons Dusty had them move back to his hometown of Memphis, the crime there is uncontrollable. It allowed him to develop that sixth sense... It's saved them on countless occasions.. Many of which involved a knife wound or two for the male.

She sighs, feeling safe around him, but what he said about Chang.. Could he be right? Could Chang still be with HCF? She looks back at him, arching an eyebrow as he slides his radio back into his pocket.

_Just who is he talking to? It couldn't be Thomas could it?_

The sudden realization shakes her very core. Thomas knows where they are, so he can release what he wishes into this Island...

She rushes to catch up with Dusty, who is staring into the black of the barn before them, "Hey.. I think he's talking with Thomas... I'm gonna go see if the destruction plate is where it used to be... Will be back in two minutes. Don't miss me too much..."

She plants a small kiss on his cheek, nothing meaningful, just something she did without a second thought. She looks away, staring at what appears to be a feed silo, then runs at it, ignoring Dusty's pleas.

_Rule one, never separate... But we're not really separating... I'm just walking a few meters away... I hope the code isn't too hard to crack..._

The thin steel doors before her are easy enough to open, only requiring a slight nudge for it to reveal its contents. What should be mounds upon mounds of crushed wheat or corn, if this was a real silo, is actually massive computers and electronic equipment, many of which are reading off numbers.

"Well," she rubs a hand across one of the screens, "data on the Alpha Hunter. Blood pressure, heart rate, brain patterns... Amazing stuff, if I cared to save any of it..."

Aya turns off the computers, until she finds what she's looking for: A thick, about two inch steel plate that is sitting directly over possibly four hundred pounds of liquid explosive. Just enough to destroy this test island. She sighs, looks back at Dusty through the open doorway, then promptly steps on the pad, starting the timer on the chemical mixers.

Red hair flaps in the wind as she quickly runs out the door, her eyes locked on Dusty, "RUN!! GET OUT OF HERE WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!"

Dusty and Chang both look at her, then run toward the open access door for the Island, which is slowly closing. Too slowly to be exact, almost as if the door is teasing them to make it.

11

_Aya, we're gonna make it..._

Dusty reaches back for Aya, takes her hand, then growls, using all his strength to throw her through the door. When she's safely through the door, Dusty looks over at Chang, nods, and is then thrown through himself, Lobo having an easy time tossing the smaller man. Dusty flips through the air, mouths an apology, then fires a single round at Chang, nailing him square in the chest. With a look of disbelief and pain evident in his eyes, Chang drops back, the door closing between them.

Dusty stands up from the rut in the ground and sighs, turns to face Aya, but gets a hard slap across the face, "Bastard..."

A hand is quickly pressed to the beaming red mark across his face, "Hey. He worked for HCF still... Plus, he wouldn't have made it out either way..."

Aya turns from him and begins to walk off, but both of them are sent into the air as the ground beneath the Hunter Island explodes, the shockwave the only signs of the explosion from the outside. The brunette flips through the air, calling out in pain as he slams into one of the many pine trees around him.

As both of them finally hit the ground, Dusty smiles and looks over at his friend, "Well, two more explosions to go huh?"

**Third chapter down!! WHOO! Review, all that usual crap.. Next Chapter: Dead or Alive, My Choice.**


	4. Dead or Alive, My Choice

Chapter 4: Dead or Alive, My Choice

Disclaimer: As always, Don't own Resident Evil.. Just own the games...

Red wallpaper and white dust flies through the air as a loud, almost inhuman growl shakes the Isle New Eras Mansion. Wood creaks as the desk falls from the wall, the computer and phone still attached miraculously.

"Son of a bitch... They're still alive, and they still have ammunition... Damn it!"

Thomas's muscles twitch as he throws the chair at the destroyed wall, sending the piece of comfortable furniture out into the wooded landscape surrounding his home. The Philippine Monster turns to face the new persona in the room, and before a single word can be spoken, the soldier is hanging three feet off the ground, a tentacle wrapped around his neck.

The enraged monster brings the man in close and growls, "They're still alive... They should not be alive!!!"

The trapped man struggles, then his body goes limp and falls to the ground, his severed head following several seconds afterwards. Black combat boots squeak as they step through the blood and turn down the hall, many faces peering back at the blood-covered BOW.

"Sir, there seems to be a problem..."

Dark orange eyes look back at the soldier and he scoffs, "What? Did Mutante get out?"

The soldier bites his bottom lip, "Um... Yes sir..."

"God," growls Thomas as he runs toward the stairs, "damn it all to hell... Wait," he stops mid-stride.

A sick thought comes to mind, _I'm immune to Mutante... Better for Dusty when he gets here after killing Isis..._

Thomas smiles and continues a slow stride down the hall, then looks out one of the many windows overlooking the serene forestry and ocean, "Tis a good day to be me... I await thy return, mine mortal enemy..."

11

"So," calls out Dusty as he raps on the large doors before him, "what do you think is in here?"

A huff, then electronic beeps, followed by a few curse words, "Don't have the damnedest clue Dusty... But if we don't get this door open, then we'll never find out..."

Brown eyes flash, "No. Dusty, don't... If that door's blown open, who knows what the explosion will do..."

Too late, as Dusty is already taking apart two grenades, spitting in the gunpowder and explosives, then sliding the gunk across the middle of the door. He steps back, aims the grenade launcher, then fires, Aya barely having time to dive around the corner before the door is blown wide open.

Cool, well, cooler air bellows from the large wound in the metal animal as Dusty steps in, reloading the grenade launcher in the process, "You coming dear?"

Aya huffs, upset that he ignored her, and slowly scamps around the corner, "Yeah yeah..."

Before them lies a perfect mountain area, with evergreen trees, bushes, even small woodland animals like squirrels and such. A cool fog floats over the ground, most likely coming from the river dividing the land into thirds.

_But where is the water coming from and going?_

That perplexes Aya as she and her male counterpart both slowly walk toward the roaring river, light waves crashing over the banks and onto the cold earth around it.

"Kinda soothing, isn't it? Oh, squirrel..." mumbles Dusty as he watches the furry animal stand on its hind legs and chitter at him.

Aya looks around at the massive amount of squirrels gathering around them, all of them chittering loudly, "Um.. Dusty... Do zombie squirrels sound about right for HCF?"

The brunette backs up from the little creature in front of him, shaking his head, "I guess.. Wouldn't put it past them... But, why? Everything else is horribly mutated, while these are just squir... AH!! GET IT OFF!!"

Dusty spins around, the squirrel latched onto his arm, chittering loudly, almost as if to summon the others to dinner. The creature flies from his arm, a well-placed fist responsible for that. The squirrel slams into the tree, and drops lifelessly, much to Dusty's approval.

"Head for the door... There's too many!"

Dusty nods and turns toward the door, but finds it blocked by a rather LARGE spider. It hisses at them, a large glob of webbing drooping around it, giving it the appearance that it's smaller than it is.

Brown eyes widen, a mouth drops open, and drool begins to run down the lips of the brunette as he begins to mumble, "Spi... Spi... Oh my god... SPIDER!!!"

Aya kicks away the few Isis-squirrels, pushes Dusty to the ground, and unloads the last four shells from her shotgun, "You're such a damn baby..."

Dusty cowers on the ground in fear as Aya single-handedly takes care of the mutated arachnid. Green ooze covers the surrounding trees and the two humans, much to one's dismay...

Brown eyes slowly open as the horrible hissing dissipates, but close again as it's replaced by the sounds of hundreds of squirrels, "I'm getting too old for this!"

Gray bodies and red eyes fly through the air, small claws and teeth slashing at the exposed clothing, but none of it doing any real damage. Dusty sits up and looks down at his slightly tattered shirt, a small hole the only visible sings of destruction, and sighs.

"What the hell? Zombie squirrels and they can't do a damn thing? I'd rather fight that damn Sasquatch-thing from earlier..." the brunette screams as he kicks the squirrels away.

Flame-red hair swishes around as a loud, pain-filled scream shakes the very ground they stand on. From atop the large Redwood trees, a gargantuan girth flies from the leaves, dirty hair flailing around wildly, making the creature double its actual size. The large red bulb, the gleaming yellow eyes, this is the creature that tried to attack them earlier. Only one thing is out of place, the burn marks around its face, leaving the hair burnt to its jaws.

"Oh fuck me..." grumbles the smaller female as she backs up, the creature slamming into the packed dirt before her, sending her lithe frame flying through the air.

Her eyes close, but she soon opens them as Dusty catches her, the male groaning in pain as his left knee bends at a weird angle. She looks at his face, the hidden pain, but her worries are unwillingly put on the back burner as he drops her and unloads a small grenade at its chest. The small explosive detonates on contact, coating its hair in napalm.

"Ugh.. God that reeks..." groan both the fighters as its hair bursts into flames, the creature showing no pain reaction at all.

Soon they figure out why: its hair is dropping off, as is the brown skin underneath. As the last chunks of hair and epidermis fall away, the creature takes on the form it originally had: a Tyrant.

Dusty stumbles back, dropping his M79, and begins to babble like a baby. The thing that almost killed him, Leon, and Claire, the thing that killed Michael, the beast that would not die is here before him...

"I.. I... It's... Oh my god... No.. No.." stumbles the male as he cowers before the eleven-foot monster.

It growls down at him, its face melted into a sneer, and with one massive hand, it picks him up by the shoulders, his small head gouged between two massive fingers. His feet dangle a good 6 feet off the ground as the monster brings his prey up above his head.

_God help us..._

11

Aya just stands there, awe struck at the perfection of the creature, but snaps out of it as she watches the beast bend Dusty backwards over its head, no emotion plastered to its face. Dusty screams in pain as his body is bent far beyond human limitations. Aya raises her shotgun and aims for the first thing she sees, his legs. She pumps off two rounds, blowing the flesh from the knee...

Aya pumps the stock and downs one more round into its other knee, the creature only staggering. It ignores her and continues breaking her friend in half, almost as though he is its target. Her forest emerald eyes flash as she continues downing shell after shell into its bleeding knees, trying her best to knock it over.. But her motions are in vain as the Neanderthal continues breaking Dusty's body. A scream makes her blood run cold as crimson liquid runs down the monster's head, obviously leaking from the exposed bone in her friend's side.

"Damn it.. Am gonna get you free Dusty!" but the words fall on deaf ears as the male has fallen unconscious from the torture onset to him by the Isis-Tyrant.

The creature bears its teeth at the woman and throws Dusty at her, sending both of them to the cold, desolate ground. Grass, limbs, squirrels, and the occasional cloud of dust flitter into the air as the two beaten warriors are sent through the ground. Aya grunts as a tree branch tears into her arm, sending a squirt of blood across the brown earth below. Pain courses through her body, but is nothing to the pain Dusty has just felt, as the sienna-haired male is still asleep. The scarlet-haired woman screams as her back slams into a fence post, the pain doubling cause of Dusty's added weight and momentum. Something wet pokes her exposed stomach, the gross intrusion turning out to be Dusty's exposed rib.

"Fourth rib from the top, left side... Ooh.. That's not gonna heal well.. Upsie-daisy pal. Gotta move so can take care of this moronic tyrant."

Dusty groans, but goes back to his pain-induced sleep, leaving the auburn-haired Japanese woman to fend for her, and her partner's, survival. The Tyrant looks down at her, though his gaze is slightly more level due to the several hundred feet he threw them. She clears her throat, then evacuates the liquid from her parted lips, snarling as the beast flexes its gnarled muscles, the pinkish tendons pulling from the skin and giving the creature a textured look. Black teeth grit together as the beast squats down, almost preparing to run at her, but instead, the monster leaps into the air. The monster has jumped an easy four-hundred feet straight up, which means it plans to jump on her. Aya turns to run back, but can't move, the fright coursing through her veins debilitating her movement. The mind is willing, but the body just can't. Green eyes jerk back and forth, looking for something to save her, but finds nothing. Multiple explicative's course through her mind, but none seem to fit the moment.

"I'm going to die.." murmurs the young woman as she tries her best to prepare for the blow.

A thunderous thud, followed by wood snapping finally jerk her from her cowardice. She spins around to see the Neanderthal Tyrant grasp a tree, groan, and uproot it from the ground, the dirt dropping off in wet chunks. Aya stares in complete immobilizing horror as it swings the large foliage at her.

"Get down!" comes a scream, then Aya is shoved to the side.

The last thing she sees before she gets a face full of dirt is brown hair and a not-so-friendly smirk. What seems only mere seconds to her pass before she wakes up, the immediate area clear of danger. Her eyes scan quickly for any human body parts, but only finds herself.

Her voice hoarse from the dirt she ate, but she still manages to shriek, "Dusty? Dusty!? Where are you?"

Nothing, not even a bird chirping, squirrel chattering, nor a breeze moving the trees. Hot, unceasing pain courses through her arm, the gash coming back to mind as she examines it. A one-inch gash straight to the bone, rendering the arm almost useless. She slowly lifts the arm, but drops it as the pain becomes too great. With a huff and a screamed, "Fuck!" the woman has her arm tied at her side, her belt making for an excellent strap.

"Okay.. Now can only use my handgun.. So..." she stares down at the 14-guage weapon. "What to do with you?"

After a few brief moments of deliberation, her feet walk off, the fully-loaded shotgun lying in the dirt, the back of her head reflecting in the polished metal. One more obstacle down only leads to eight bigger ones.. Such is the life of Aya Akechi.

11

_I've finally got you in my grasp again Dusty... You won't escape this time... No matter what kills me.. I will have my revenge this night... Dusty, your life is in my hands.._

Thomas stares down at the broken threat before him and can't help but let a smile cross his sculpted face. He pulls his right leg back, frowns, and slams the appendage into his rival's side. Dusty rolls across the floor and vomits, the liquid a bright green with crimson lines strewn throughout, revealing something inside him has ruptured.

"You son of a bitch! You ruined my damn life!!"

Thomas raises his right hand, a black tentacle rising from the palm, and he slaps Dusty across the back with it multiple times, the appendage tearing skin off. His target screams in pain as the lashes continue, but they finally die down as the consciousness falls from the defeated soldier. The BOW growls, tightens his arm, causing the appendage to shorten and harden, then drives the point through Dusty's chest, piercing a lung and grazing his heart. Brown eyes flash open as Dusty's mouth releases a shriek of complete and utter horror, the sound more than enough to wake the dead.

Blood pours to the floor as Thomas hefts the man before him off the ground, his feet easily dangling three feet off the ground. Dusty groans, then slowly opens his eyes, the bloodshot orbs glaring at the mutant.

"Wh... Why??..."

Thomas laughs and replies, "Isis only kicks in once you die... You don't slowly mutate over time.. I don't want you to mutate... So am gonna keep you alive for as long as possible... But if you do somehow mutate, got the solution right here..."

Dusty groans and screams as the tentacle retracts, the gaping hole it leaves behind no longer bleeding. Thomas glares down at his defeated nemesis and slowly walks out of the room, his left arm flexing involuntarily.

_I want to see your head hanging from my wall.. But torture is an art-form long forgotten..._

11

"Well... It's now or never... Okay, am going in!"

Aya pounds her worn feet into the dirt and runs toward the mansion, gunshots ringing to her left and right. Having scouted the area earlier, Aya had come across the seven motion-sensor turrets...

_That poor BOW..._

A large spider lies dead at her feet as she continues running, just barely escaping the red lines of hot lead and laser sights. Aya grits her teeth, curses in Japanese, and dives for the nearest window, the glass shattering as her body leaves the proximity of the weapons, their barrels ceasing instantly.

Blood drips on the floor as the woman pries a rather large piece of frosted glass from her exposed arm, "No matter what they say in videogames, movies, or TV, diving through windows does get you cut..."

Aya smiles and pulls out her handgun, then absentmindedly moves her other arm, screaming in anguish as the dried blood tears, reopening her wound. More blood coats the tile as Aya quickly ties the bandage back around.

"At least," she sighs, "I can use my arm again... Now, where to?"

A loud scream emits from practically everywhere, Dusty's scream. But before Aya can tell just the general direction, the sound is gone. As fast as it was heard, the scream is gone, leaving her lost and confused. The redhead growls in frustration, then quickly descends the stairs near her, not even caring that in a 5-story mansion, she is going down. The dark walls release to a very large kitchen-like room. But these ovens are not emitting the smell of cooking food, but of fried flesh. Aya has just stumbled into the BOW Incinerator Room in the basement of Eras Mansion.

**Nice, swift ending to the chapter. Drama, slight terror, and sadism that should be expected from me... After all, I am the guy who had a Dragon kill her owner and then purr in her lap... Review people!!**


	5. Nothing Stays the Same

Chapter 5: Nothing Stays The Same

Disclaimer: As always, Don't own Resident Evil.. Just own the games....

"Tell me, Dusty... What drives you? How have you not died? I've seen you lose fights horribly on the streets... But here, you are the best fighter I've ever seen... What keeps you alive here?"

The brunette pants loudly as the question roots into his skull, the answer coming out in a blood-filled rasp, "These things.. Aren't human.. Like you... You.. You.. Monster..."

Thomas attempts a quick rebuttal, but Dusty reels his head back and spits right in his face. The mutant swipes the liquid from his person and growls, spit flying from his lips as he does so. A quick fist sends Dusty's head into the wall, the man's body going limp from the pain.

The Asian turns and starts to walk forward, but a hand wraps around his leg, tripping the diseased human, "You're not getting away.."

Thomas turns around, his black hair rising up and standing on end as he spots his wounded nemesis leaning from the wall, an easy three-inch gash bleeding above his eyes. The blood is soaked into his skin, possibly from the virus, and the male jumps at Thomas, his fists ready to punch.

But his target dives to the left, then sends a tentacle into his neck, "Not this time bitch..."

Dusty drops instantly from the hit, not moving, yet not really staying still, twitching if you will. But before Thomas can do anything, his movements have turned into full-on convulsions.

"Damn it, I did not just kill you!"

Thomas can't believe what he's seeing.. Dusty planned this from the start... The move, the tentacle.. This mere _human_ was able to play Thomas for a fool.. Get him to do what he wanted... Thomas Weidick has just been played by a mere mortal...

Thomas pulls out a knife from his back pocket, ready to cut his head off, but the knife is slapped from his hand, "Don't think so.... Bi.. Bitch..."

Dusty slowly crawls to his feet, despite the kicks and punches from his rival. Blood-stained lips smile at Thomas and the newly mutated Dusty slams his fist into his head, sending three mini-tentacles through the crevice.

He screams in pain while Dusty smiles, "Well, seems you still feel pain in this form..."

Thomas pushes from his prone position and jumps at Dusty, who just raises his hand and slams the palm into the Asian's face. He flips backwards, landing on his neck hard. Dusty attempts to capitalize on the injury, but a sharp pain courses through his neck, sending his new body to the floor. He looks up through pain-stricken eyes as Thomas begins to roll around, holding his body and screaming in pain.

_I don't remember hurting him that bad.. There must be something else...._

11

"Come get me you fuck!"

Aya backs down the kitchen aisle, shooting at anything that can do some damage to the Neanderthal-Tyrant. A single bullet hits the gas-nozzle for the pressure-cleaner and the entire wall explodes, sending large pieces of metal and bolts of fire into the creature.

The redhead lets out a cheer of minor triumph, but she knows it's short-lived, as it survived having its flesh burned off, "Well, I know you're not dead..."

Almost as if to answer the unasked question, the monster chasing her walks through the flames, the evil sneer still plastered to its face. Aya frowns and jumps onto the grill station in the middle of the room, just in time to dodge a very large, very fast fist. Tile flies into the air as the mutated and skinless extremity withdraws, giving the female a place to land. She jumps off the heated pad and slowly backs up, emptying round after useless round into its skin. A single round finds the mark, right where its jugular vein should be. Blood coats its neck, but it doesn't faze the monster. In return, the BOW bends down to her level, drops its jaw, and roars as loud as it can, the sound shaking the inferior being to her back. Her jacket slaps her in the face as her enemy continues its shriek of rage.

_That.. May have been a bad idea..._

Neanderthal jumps up, its body tearing through the ceiling, then it drops back down. Aya growls and rolls back, her back popping loudly in protest. The creature slams into the demolished floor, disappearing in a large cloud of cooking gas, metal, and wood. The woman gazes down the hole, smiling as she has yet to hear the beast hit solid ground.

But the feeling of victory drops as she hears a very loud plop, signaling that her monster will live, "Fuck."

11

"God... Son of a bitch... Just kill me..."

"Can do... Bye..."

Dusty rolls forward as six distinct weapons, three magnums, two shotguns, and a handgun fire, their rounds wasted on the ground. The human-weapon runs around the six men and quickly disarms them all, then knocks them unconscious.

Once all the weapons have been collected, and placed on his person, Dusty says a silent prayer, "I hope you all make it out alive... Only things I want dead are inhuman..."

He turns to walk away, but his gaze is locked on the spot where his rival once was, but now is not. A million words cross through his mind, none fitting the situation exactly. Newfound powers, yet his sense of smell, as usual, still sucks...

_Maybe this trick will work...._ thinks the male as he closes his eyes and covers his nose.

"Loud crash, 3 floors down... Three sets of footprints, one on the roof, one just outsid..."

Dusty growls and runs at the wall, shattering through it as though it was glass, his arms wrapping around the man instantly. The soldier gags, but is released as Dusty realizes he is not his target.

"Weidick.. Where?"

The grunt coughs and runs away, but a tentacle drags him back, "I.. I don't know.. he.. He..."

Dusty closes his eyes and throws the man down the hall, inevitably sending him out the window and down to the ground 33 feet below. Brown eyes look over the broken window frame and he smiles.

"Well.. He's not gonna see tomorrow in an upright and pretty way..."

Dusty closes his eyes, then flips into the air, just in time to dodge the flying tentacle meant to pierce his heart.. Again.. Through his glasses, the newly-mutated male spots the other down the hall, a scowl of pure malice plastered to his face.

Dusty drops and dodges another tentacle, amazed at his own increased speed, then smiles, "Seems you miss me, dear..."

Thomas growls, three more tentacles flying from his chest. The first two are easy to dodge, a simple drop-and-slide maneuver. But the third, the male clamps his legs shut, catching the muscular appendage before it did any real damage. Before Thomas can withdraw his captured body part, Dusty rolls to his left, pushes into the air using his arms, and flips his opponent using his own appendage. Thomas careens through the air, his body tucking to avoid the minor damage, and promptly flies through the window and wall.

Dusty relishes in the silence that his move has produced and he slowly turns to find where that loud boom from earlier came from, "Tis a joyous, joyous day to be me.... Tis a _really_ joyous day to be me I say..."

11

_This is gonna sound so cliche later, but.. I'm gonna die!! I'm gonna die!!! It's going to kill me til I can't die any more!! God Dusty! Help me!!_

Aya jumps to the left, then to the right, trying her best, despite the weariness now plaguing her every muscle, to dodge the punches and kicks from her own personal nemesis. Before Aya can do anything else, she is now falling backwards down a flight of stairs. Having chased the beast down that hole to make sure it was dead, the redhead found herself in an underground lake, surrounded by what appeared to be a metal donut-lab.. Now the neanderthal-looking Tyrant is chasing her floor-by-floor to the bottom of the lab. By now, Aya is completely out of ammo, having to resort to just staying alive.

"Wherever you are now, Dusty, could really use your help..." grumbles the woman as she continues running, having finally gotten back to her feet.

Aya screams in pain as the monster finally hits her. The large fist sends her flying forward, slamming her lithe frame into the thin metal. If it would've hit her any harder, the scientist is sure it would've sent her trough the metal, causing her to sustain more injuries. She tries to move, but her wounded left arm is pinned in the metal, sending fresh waves of unbearable pain through her body. Before she can even realize what's going on, gunshots and roars are being traded back and forth behind her. She risks the pain to look back, but can only see something jumping around the monster.

_What is going on here?_

11

_Things to kill!!! WHOOP!_

Dusty's smile grows with each magnum round that has been fired. The monster has yet to falter from the onslaught, but on the plus side, it's yet to touch him. The mutant human keeps running around the beast, reloading his two magnums as he does so. A fist flies at him, but he just jumps on it and runs up the Neanderthal's arm, firing round after round into its face. Darkened blood coats his person, but Dusty just shrugs it off and flips off its shoulder, slamming his left knee into the back of its neck. The red Tyrant falls forward, the point-blank shots seeming to have had some effect, though slight.

"Hey babe..." smirks the brunette as he walks up to the trapped female.

Aya leans her head back and smiles at him, "You do know not how glad I am to be seeing you."

Dusty arches an eyebrow, but gives her wounds credit for the second of poor English, just glad to have her back. The male grasps both rolls of metal and grits his teeth, pulling the binding items from her arm. Once Aya is free, Dusty picks her up and examines her injuries.

"Where'd the gash come from?"

The redhead looks at her arm and sighs, "When the tyrant knocked me back, I caught it on a tree... It's doing okay.. Not infected or anything.. The scratch above my left eye happened when I dived through one of the windows in the front of the mansion.. Seems they got turrets out front..."

Dusty nods and hefts Aya up a little higher, pressing her form into a more comfortable position for both of them, "What the hell happened to you? You were screaming like you were being torn apart..."

The brunette stops, every single moment of pain still fresh in his mind, "Um... I don't remember a whole lot... Went unconscious shortly after that, woke up hearing what I guess was that Tyrant crashing through the floor...."

11

_Something is not right with him.._

Her jade eyes rest on the large hole in his shirt and hoodie, but is focused more on the lighter-shaded patch of exposed skin, "Something happened to your chest.. The skin is discolored.."

She watches as Dusty winces when she touches it, the wound not yet fully healed from whatever caused it.. She attempts to ask him again, but decides against it, just happy to have him back. Dusty lowers her down a little, seeing as how she can walk a little now, and keeps his arm wrapped around her waist.

"So, where to? Your choice?"

Aya looks up at her friend and smiles, "Down.. I want to be as far away from that mansion as possible.."

Dusty nods and smiles, "Okay. Down we go!"

Aya stares at the six weapons strapped to his person and sighs, "Seems you had an eventful day.. Any chance I can get a few of those?"

The brunette smiles and slowly sets her down, then places the six weapons before her, "Take your pick..."

The redhead smiles at the arsenal before her, but eyes the blood on them. She shakes the strange feeling off and grabs the handgun and shotgun.

"Well, should've guessed..... Get back Aya..."

By now, Aya has learned to listen to Dusty, so she quietly runs back and slinks into a corner, her guns in tow. Dusty slides his left foot back and runs at the wall, just as something busts through. The brunette flies back, a large fist rising from the debris cloud. Aya attempts to run at the beast, but Dusty calls for her to stand down. He cracks both knuckles and runs at the beast one last time. The monster tries to swing at him again, but Dusty just flips into the air and fires twice, both rounds connecting near their intended targets. The Tyrant roars in pain, swats Dusty to the ground, and stomps down on him.

Pain shakes through his body as ribs break, instantly heal due to the virus, and break again, "AGH! You're not gonna kill me!! Not today!"

Dusty manages to slide an arm free and produces the usual three tentacles, slamming them relentlessly into the monster's leg. After several attempts, and multiple screams of pain, Dusty finally manages to tear a hole into its opposing extremity. Blood pours from the wound as the brunette shoves his hand into the muscle and skin, searching for the bone, tendon, something to get this leg off his person. A distinct crunch, followed by the monster falling backwards signals that he's reached his mark. The Tyrant stumbles back, and jumps through the ceiling, disappearing before Dusty can do anymore damage...

He flips to his feet, holding his chest, and looks over at Aya, to find her in a corner, "What's the matter? It's gone..."

The redhead backs away, trying her damnedest to get as far from him as possible, "Monster! You're not Dusty!! Get away!"

Brown eyes dim as he realizes what he's done.. He's come back to her, but not as she wished him to be.. Dusty lowers his head and drops the guns, then slowly walks out, his heart heavy.

"I'm sorry Aya... I'll go."

Sure, there's a chance he can talk to her, get her to understand, but he's just so tired, maybe getting away for a bit can help him rest.

11

Thomas stands up from the ground, dirt and grass embedded in his hair and clothes, and a slight stinging sensation pounding his head. The Asian mutant rolls his neck, the vertebrate popping loudly. The small male turns around and stares up at the window he flew through, snorts, and jumps up toward it, his muscles contracting to provide the necessary force. Black hair wavers in the rushing wind as he tucks his body in order to roll through the gaping hole. Before the three soldier standing at the window can say anything, Thomas is at his feet and limping, his heavy footsteps shaking the entire floor, and a pain in his ankle growing with every step.

"DDUUSSTY!!!!!"

11

The brunette's ears perk as a faint scream descends from above, "Well, seems I was right.. It didn't kill him after all.. Oh well, more fun for me..."

Dusty gazes down at the floor, hoping he'd have the mutation allowing him to gaze down at the redhead he's left behind. But to no avail, as he's not Superman... He huffs in disappointment, but that ends quickly as the wall next to him explodes, the Tyrant resting its eyes on his form.

_Christ.. Thought was gonna have just Thomas to worry about... Well, at least Aya has one less enemy stalking her..._

Darkened eyes flash as the mutant jumps for the overhead lighting, using it to propel himself into the air, "Come and get me, if you can..."

The monster roars and raises its hand, trying to swat him from the air like a fly. But Dusty slams his arm down between the fingers, sending the appendage down, giving him one free shot at its face. But that hit never comes as the Tyrant grasps him with his other hand, catching the human by surprise. The Tyrant growls lightly and wraps its other hand around his upper body, completely covering the man. Dusty twists and turns around in its grasp, but is futile as he's getting nowhere and fast.

"Let him go now!"

The scream is faint, but close, and the voice is easy to distinguish, "Aya! Get away!! Run!"

Shotgun blasts ring around the smaller BOW's cage, the grip releasing enough for him to slide out. Dusty pushes from the folded hands and drops right in front of Aya.

He looks back at her, "But..."

The redheaded woman just shakes her head, her green eyes wet with held-back tears, "Don't say a thing.. We need to kill this and now..."

Chestnut hair nods and he back-flips into the air, amazed he still has the monster's full attention. He releases his tentacles, then proceeds to wrap them around the mutated monkey's head. With a twist of his body, Dusty screams, the sound of skin ripping echoing throughout the buried lab complex.

**Go on, say you hate me... Cliffhangers galore.. But I can bet most of you will be reading this after I post the next chapter....**


	6. Saving Self

Chapter 6: Saving Self

Disclaimer: As always, Don't own Resident Evil.. Just own the games...

_I shouldn't be here.. Helping him.. He's what I fear most.. He's become what he chases... If his body has changed, doesn't that mean HE'S changed as well?_

Thoughts like these plague the redhead's mind as she watches her friend writhe on the floor in pain, blood pouring from the torn skin above his wrist. Aya runs up to him, but the Tyrant swats her out the way, its large hand easily overpowering her inertia. Her green eyes watch in horror as it picks the brunette up by his dark hair, then proceeds to slam him mercilessly into the steel floor. The entire room shakes with each hit, she is sure his bones break with every slam.

"Dusty!" screams the young woman as she jumps from the ground, already unloading magnum rounds into its hide.

The lead ricochets off, failing to draw its attention from her counterpart. But the ammunition is wasted as the Tyrant is through with Dusty, but he is not done with it. Dusty has managed to plant his feet on the ground, using all his strength to keep the hand from crushing him. White teeth grit and grind as the male pushes the hand back up, the Tyrant's muscles popping and exploding from the reverse tension.

"Now I got you, you mutated son of a bitch!" screams the mutated human in dramatic irony.

Their nemesis roars in pain as Dusty begins to run, taking the arm with it. In order to get greater crushing power against the more fragile human, the Tyrant has buried its feet in the ground, which will now serve to help Dusty rip its arm completely from the socket.

"Go Aya! I'll hold him off!"

She ignores this, as any determined fighter would, and continues to open fire, now having traded to the other magnum. One round ricochets off its chest and drives into Dusty's abdomen, knocking the smaller man back to the ground. His scream of pain fades as his wound heals, the mutant now back on his feet and pulling on the severed arm again.

"Did I NOT just tell you to leave? Now GO!"

11

_Aya tries her best, but sometimes she does need to leave things to me... That's one thing I hate about liberated women... They think they can do everything... That shot fucking hurt..._

Dusty tosses his newly acquired prize aside as his prey roars in pain and drops to its knees. The brunette smiles and places his hand against the bleeding wound, three tentacles flailing out and then diving into the exposed musculature and tendons.

"Let's see.. How long will it take me to prick your brain?"

The Tyrant growls, then screams as Dusty strikes something vital, probably the jugular vein judging by how its neck is swelling violently. Steam floats from the bulb, then the skin ruptures, sending acid down its body and to the ground.

"Oh," smirks the brown-eyed male, "seems I struck something vital there pal..."

Dark, black smoke flows through the dank air as the monster's skin begins to melt and sizzle beneath the never-ending stream of green acid. Dusty slowly steps back as his target has shriveled to half its original size, now just a skeleton instead of a body-breaking Tyrant. The monster drones out a gurgle, then promptly falls face-first into its own body fluids.

"Well... That was uneventful... Aya.. You can come back in now..."

Brown eyes flash as the redhead walks in, with a single tentacle wrapped around her small neck. Soon following is the sick smile of his rival, Thomas.

The sneer never leaves his lips as he speaks, "I must congratulate you on your victory... Nothing we've done was able to kill the prototypes... This is a glorious win for you... Now.. Surrender yourself or the bitch gets it..."

Just to accentuate his demand, Thomas yanks Aya's head back violently, "Now see, my dilemma is that even if I give myself to you.. You'll still kill us both... I don't see how you plan on killing me though... But that's another problem..."

Dusty is now slowly walking toward the Asian mutant, "Another thing... You work for HCF... Therefore I can't trust you already... Secondly, you left me to die back in Riley... Another point where I can't trust you... Lastly, you tried to kill me here two years ago... So, as it stands... I'd rather kick your ass seven shades of bloody before I give myself to you..."

Thomas laughs, the sound carrying lifelessly through the room, "Well met Dusty... I see you've done your homework... Well then.. I guess I'll have to kill you BOTH!"

The mutant tosses the Japanese woman at Dusty, then swings his tentacles at them. The brunette drops, letting Aya stumble over him, then jumps up, grasping both tentacles in his hands.

Crimson blood runs down Dusty's arms as he growls in pain, "Better luck next time..."

Thomas roars and jumps at the brunette, "You're going to die! By my hand if not another!"

Brown eyes close as Dusty plants a boot across Thomas's face, using his enemy's own momentum to rip the appendages from their place of growth. Dusty smiles and kicks with both boots, sending the stronger of the two into the air, blood pouring from the open gashes.

"See ya around!" calls Dusty as he grabs Aya and runs, using all his strength to force the speed out.

11

"Well.. Is it me, or is Weidick's own enemy growing stronger than him?"

Four men stir in their seats as the multiple screens before them settle on Dusty's face, "It seems that Project T9 is waiting for something... Is there anything we're waiting on for the Isle New Eras to finish production of?"

The one who spoke first shakes his head, "Not that I'm aware of... There has been some remodeling of the Isis Virus being conducted... But nothing major, sir."

"Well then, seems we're at a stand-still on this dilemma... Guess we'll just have to wait and watch..."

The other three men nod and simultaneously reply, "Agreed..."

11

"Glad to see you're still with me.. Give me a second and I'll set you down..."

Aya stirs on her friend's shoulders, but sighs and rests her head back on his arm. The brunette stops walking and drops the woman to the ground carefully. The redhead sighs and leans her head against the wall, hissing in pain as the roots on her scalp hurt.

"That bastard pulled my hair, didn't he?"

Dusty sits himself down next to her and wraps an arm around her, having made sure it won't be his bleeding one.

Green eyes rest on the pool of blood and she smirks, "The virus not healed that yet?"

Dusty smiles and shrugs, "I don't know.. It doesn't hurt.. So I don't mind it..."

Red hair tussles with brown as Aya leans her head on Dusty's shoulder, then he leans his head down on hers. A bloodied hand entwines with a dirty one as Dusty slowly begins to fall asleep, but that is not soon to happen as a foot is pressed against his face.

"Thought you could get away that easy eh? Not on my island..."

Dusty growls and drives his left knee up, using all his strength yet again to send Thomas into the air, "Why can't you just leave me alone? Why are you after me?!"

As the mutant lands on the ground several meters away, he laughs, "It's because you didn't die in Riley... I'd go after Leon and Claire, but they've got their hands full with the reforming Umbrella!"

The brunette smirks and dodges a flapping tentacle, "So my death is just a lack of options huh? Boy, I feel special.. And here I was thinking my mutation was in vain..."

Dusty flips back, then shoves his body against the wall. Thomas slams a tentacle between Dusty's legs, one under each arm, and two around his head, pinning the male to the wall.

"Well..." sighs Dusty. "That was a bad idea... So, what now?"

The black-haired mutant smiles and walks forward, the five tentacles shrinking to accommodate the change in distance, "Well, for starters, I could pry each and every limb off of you, bone by bone... Or, I could slowly pull my tentacles inward and slice through your body... Making a Dusty-pizza... Tis your choice..."

The brunette growls and grunts, trying to produce a tentacle of his own, but ends up screaming in pain as blood pours from where his weapon should. Thomas laughs and holds up his left hand, a tanned tentacle flying out and embedding itself in his prey's right shoulder.

11

Dusty's screams of pain double over as more blood drops down the wall, almost as a waterfall of crimson, "Like that do you? Well, have another!"

Thomas pulls his arm back, then throws it forward, digging his personal weapon into the clean shoulder, the arm hanging limply and covered in blood. The brunette's jaw drops as his screams become melded into a rattle of spit and blood. Thomas watches in pleasure as his opponent turns red from his own blood, then hangs loosely on his tentacles. He sighs and walks off, his tentacles retracting quickly. The beaten warrior groans and drops to the cold, wet stone, his breath shallow and fast.

Brown eyes flutter shut, breathing stops, life slowly fading from the brunette's cooling body, but then they fly open, blood flying from his mouth as Dusty shouts, "Get back here! We're not done yet!"

Thomas turns around to face him, surprise plastered to his face, _Yeah, that's right.. I'm not dead... This isn't a very pleasant feeling, but I can manage with Aya's help..._

The blood-covered male stands to his feet, then slowly creeps toward the older-infected man, "This virus is remarkable... I've lost most of the blood in my body... Why do I still live?"

The raven-haired individual sighs and steps back, "The virus doesn't just mutate your DNA, it controls your body as your brain sees fit. Your mind doesn't want to die, so the virus is acting as your blood... Any second now your blood should turn pink from the virus itself. It's all a matter of technicality now... But... Seems I have to find a more creative way of killing you..."

Dusty shakes his head furiously, cleaning the matted hair of the diseased blood, "Bah, doubt you'll think of anything I already haven't..."

Thomas tries to speak, but a tentacle is shoved through his face. The pain is obviously unreal as Dusty can imagine it to be, as he's trying his best to pry Thomas's brain from his spine. The black-haired Tyrant screams in pain as the brunette hits his mark, the tentacle driving straight through the brain matter to snap it off the brain stem, rendering the weapon useless, or dead as the human term puts it.

Blackened blood drips to the cold stone floor, not adding any color to the room, and the victorious male slowly sits down, "Son of a bitch... Finally got you... Seems today's my lucky day after all..."

A near silent whimper, sounding as if from a small puppy rises to ears covered by chestnut hair, "Aya? Is that you?"

Blood-covered eyes rest upon the shaking form of his beloved, who is crouched against the wall, deep, sorrowful sobs wracking the frame of the auburn-haired young woman, "Hey, it's okay... I'm still here..."

That is definitely the wrong thing to say, as Aya begins to cry louder and deeper, "That's just it... Y.. You might still be here.. But, you're slo.. Slowly leaving m.. Me... I don... Don't want to lose you.."

If Dusty wasn't covered in blood, if Aya wasn't covered in bleeding wounds, Dusty might've hugged her, but it doesn't seem appropriate, "Look, my body might be changing.. Aya," he raises her head, their eyes interlocking, "I'll still be myself.. I'm not going to leave... And trust me... My next task is to find a cure... You will not see me like this after we leave here..."

Dark orange hair blocks the faded green eyes as the body-wracking cries die down, "I love you so much Dusty..."

Despite his earlier thoughts, Dusty drops down and hugs his friend, "I love you too Aya... We're gonna get out of here.. Trust me... Nothing is gonna stop us..."

_Nothing at all..._

11

"What are we going to do Neal? Seems that 'puny little policeman' as you put it back then has surpassed Weidick..."

Neal Donnelly lets his age show through by throwing his drink glass across the table, "You shut your mouth! I managed to hack into HCF's cameras and get you the footage, and all you can do is berate me? What kind of nonsensical intellect causes you to do that?"

The executive that spoke earlier sighs and leans back in the plush leather chair, showing his maturity, "Now Neal... You must listen... If you would've kept up with your end of the bargain to 'end the existence of the rats' we would not have been in this predicament in the first place Donnelly!"

Nightshade tussles slash the cold air as the youngest clenches his fists, "It's not my fault your precious Sweeper Crew isn't sufficient enough to get the job done! I'm through with this conference..."

Three distinct voices chime in, "You step out that door, Donnelly, and you won't be coming back..."

Neal stops, his shoes nearly squeaking on the red tile, "What are you inferring?"

"You step out that door... And you'll be dead before you reach the lobby..."

_They don't have the audacity!_

**Ooohhh.. Drama... A dead Thomas, voiced love, and threats that will be carried out... Maybe... From here, maybe a few chapters left? Will see where the next one takes me... Speaking of which, "Hope is as Fragile as Glass, Yet Clearer."**


	7. Hope is as Fragile as Glass, Yet Clearer

Chapter 7: Hope is as Fragile as Glass, Yet Clearer

Disclaimer: As always, Don't own Resident Evil.. Just own the games...

_Of all the things that stay the same, why do some change? Your affection for someone, your hate, even the way you react to the small things they do? If love is supposed to be eternal, why is it you can love one person one minute, then fall in love with someone different the next?_

Aya Akechi slowly opens her jade eyes, the tiny black pupils shrinking as she looks right into a bright light. If it wasn't for that random thought, the battered woman might've never woken up from the long-awaited sleep. A barely audible squish draws attention down at the entwined hands between them.

"Blood?" the question belies the fact she knows the answer.

Dusty's sienna hair is draped over her shoulder, crimson plasma drying on his calm features. A slight chuckle leaves Aya's red lips, then her boyfriend's hair is being smoothed from his face.

Being one who is new to the motherly/girly types, Aya begins to sing the closest thing to a lullaby she can think of, "I want chicken, I want tuna, I want liver, please deliver..."

_It's not one of the best things I could be singing... But I did have 4 cats in my lab... At least he can't hear me..._

Her soothing voice slowly dies down, then the pressure on her shoulder is lifted, a dry voice reaching her ears, "Why'd you stop?"

"Because... Come on, we gotta go.." emerald eyes gaze down at the massive scarring. "Hmph, seems you're wounds have healed.."

Dusty stands up and searches his person, a smile forming, "I guess so.. Let's go this way... There has to be a dock somewhere..."

The silver blockade before them, with it's biohazard symbol does not look inviting... But what can someone seriously do when every other path has been taken? The two hostages raise their weapons: Aya's gun, and Dusty's tentacle, and they both step into the darkness as the barrier disappears.

11

_Now would be the PERFECT time for some of that generic action music... Maybe I could make my own?_

Having rested for what he guesses to be a few hours, Dusty is back to his old self... Well, with mutant powers and such. Thanks to the virus now flowing through his veins, the male's vision has substantially increased, giving him better sight in the dark than his smaller companion. Before them lies, well, nothing important to speak of, just a hollow room stretching maybe four hundred meters and is about seventy or eighty in width.

"Hmm, this is weird... There's nothing in here, not even another door to walk out of.. We're heading back ou..."

Before the stocky warrior can spin around, the door is shut, the large bolts flying upward, locking their only escape. Several choice curse words fill the room, but those give way to an all-too familiar voice.

"Seems I've got you trapped in a cage, my dear rats... If you escape, I'll kill you myself.. Oh, before I forget, and you die from the Bio-Organic Weapon Gas that is _very_ slowly being pumped into the room, I must thank you, Dusty... If it wasn't for you tearing my brain stem apart and mixing your blood with mine... I might not have mutated into this deeeeeelightful new form..."

Aya and Dusty both pick up on the buzzing tone of several of Thomas's words, so the chocolate-haired male speaks up, "New form? Well, it must've made you a coward... I don't see why you have to hide behind this 'gas' when you could just come down here and kick my ass yourself... Ah, wait... I know why... The virus has done the unthink... Unthinkable... It's turned... You into... Cough, a woman... Right? You now have boobs and the like... You're scared that I'll laugh.."

The BOW can not finish as the room is taking on a green tint, most likely from the gas his rival was speaking about. Dusty drops to his knees, both arms wrapping around the heaving chest. Pink liquid flies from his cracked lips as something ruptures inside his body. Brown eyes look up at Aya, who is barely able to keep to her feet, both small hands pressing at her temples.

Two screams, one deep, one shrieking shake the walls, then a speeding laugh washes over them, "Do you like it? We swiped it from an Umbrella armory near Rockfort... Studies show it causes your organs to melt... Liquefying you from the inside out... For normal humans, it splits your brain... Literally... That's why your head is 'killing' you bitch... At the rate it's filling the room, you both will enjoy several excruciating hours of delightful pain... Bye..."

The brunette crawls to his feet, finding a moment of temporary peace. Peace at this point meaning he's gone numb from the pain. Red fingers swipe two handgun bullets from his pocket. The two yellow rounds are pried apart, the black gunpowder filling the cup of his palm. Dusty opens his mouth and swipes one bullet, then another across his tongue, and drops them in the black snuff.

He stumbles over toward Aya, drapes his own body over hers, and snaps his fingers, the two metal bullets sliding across each other. Before the room is filled with intense light and heat, a small spark flashes across his exposed body.

_God forgive me..._

11

What appears to be a large wasp leans back on the small metal bench. Black hair and that evil snarl are the only signs of who this new monster's identity.

"Well, seems he's more creative than I thought... He may have stopped the gas, but it appears he's sacrificed himself.. Foolish love... She is going to die anyway now..." scoffs Thomas Weidick as his wings twitch.

Now that he looks back on it, using Wasp DNA as the base component of Isis is a bad idea... He wants to be stronger than Dusty, not uglier than him... _The benefits are nice though... The spikes are a nice touch if I can say so myself..._

The spikes he speaks of are the hardened calcium rising from his shoulders and running around under his arms. _They are functional too..._

"Corporal, come in here please..."

An elderly man walks in, looking at least seventy, his hair snow white and balding in several places, "Sir?"

Thomas spins around in the leather recliner, nearly giving Corporal Schneider a heart attack, "What is your role here? How is it you've served this company for so long?"

"Sir, it's," his voice is quick and to the point, "because I'm the top military strategist in the southern hemisphere. My role at this facility is to oversee that my men accomplish their tasks set before them."

The newly re-mutated male sighs and stands up, imposing his massive eight feet upon his tactician, "It appears you've failed your duties... Because my two targets are still alive... I've had to deal with the problem myself..."

Schneider slowly begins to freak out, sweat suddenly pouring from his face and armpits, "Sir.. I.. But..."

Thomas grunts, sending three of the spikes flying at his soldier. The tubes tear through his flesh, imbedding him to the wall. With one final grunt, another spike is shot, and the elderly male is dead.

"Oh I cannot wait to find that bitch..."

11

"Ugh, what the hell? Dusty? ... Dusty? Oh my god, Dusty!"

Aya quickly sits up, the weight on her back rolling to the floor with a dead thud. The smell of burnt flesh wafts from the body, making the woman's blood run cold. Dusty, or what's left of him is sprawled on the floor, bubbles of skin blasted across his backside. The last thing Aya remembers is Dusty, two bullets, and an...

_No... Dusty, oh god no... Why would you do something this selfish? Oh my god.. I..._

Aya, being the type of person to always have something to say, is now at a loss for words... With a light heave, her boyfriend is flipped over, giving her the reaction that she shouldn't have. Unlike his back, Dusty's front is unharmed, but the silent scream of rage on his face makes her stomach instantly overturn. The woman turns to the left and throws up, takes a big gulp of air, then vomits again. Now armed with a taste of acid and bile, Aya continues her examination of the broken male before her.

"This just can't be happening... You promised... You... PROMISED ME! Why would you leave me? You said we'd escape together..."

Suicide passes through her mind, but what would that solve? Sure she might be back with him.. But no one would stand against HCF... Not when they don't know of their crimes... And most importantly, Dusty wouldn't want her to die for him...

_A wasted life is a fool's ideal... That's what he used to say... And I'm no fool... Gotta carry on for his sake... Aya.. Come on..._

Shaky legs bring the sorrowful woman to her feet, then deep heaving sobs wrack her frame, but the urge to cry dies down. With a flick of the wrist, the clip is ejected and she counts the rounds, thirteen, a full clip for her. Another check reveals seven spare clips and a handful of loose slugs, all hollow point. Aya slaps on a hard, focused expression and slowly steps through the smoldering crevice where the door once resided. A silent prayer is murmured for her lost friend as she ascends the rusting staircase.

"My life is officially hell.. It can only get better from here..."

If this was any other time, if she was anything but alone, that might've gotten a lighter response, but the Japanese woman does not feel like laughing, or smiling. Instead she carries on, ignoring doors, even dead bodies as the warrior makes her way back toward the lobby of the mansion. Gears whir and wires sizzle as Aya opens fire on the cameras strewn about the halls, those being the only things to grab her attention. No one is going to watch her anymore... They've let Thomas watch them so far so Dusty could kill him, but now that that plan is shot out of the water, no one is ever going to see her again...

"Tut tut, bitch... You're destroying company property... Am I going to need to drop down and punish you?"

Aya smirks and leans against the wall, the handgun laying limp across her waist, "I'm waiting..."

11

"Ah, seems T9 is actually going to accomplish his mission this time... Too bad it's too late..."

Neal looks over at Director Darilen, not exactly pleased at this news, but relieved none the less, "So one can assume the company is pleased with my handiwork? I did rewrite Isis and release it back to HCF after all..."

Senior Director James Darilen frowns, setting his pair of chopsticks back down on the table, the executive-board having just finished lunch. He swats a few paper boxes aside and drops a folder labeled 'Fusion' onto the large red glass table.

"You see," the voice soft, yet hardened with age, "Neal, the Wasp DNA did stabilize the compound, but you did fail at one thing.. You didn't bring us the _damn_ sample first! You have promise.. That I can be assured of, but you lack the responsibility, the compassion for your research... All we needed was a blasted sample.. Just the DNA Nucleotide sequence would've been sufficient! No, Neal, you had to go and proceed with a worthless experiment... Just, get out of my face..."

The youngest of the twelve stumbles to find a response, but two large security guards drag him from the room, their badges gleaming from the sunlight piercing the large glass panes that circle the room.

"I want him transferred to the Neo-Raccoon Facility... He can continue with his haphazard experiments there..."

11

"AAAAGGGHHH!"

The deep, soulless screech of pain, anguish, and terror shakes the walls, the burnt body spasming violently. Magenta blood covers his body, softening the dried flesh and separating the cloth fibers from the dermis. With a silent grunt, the male is sitting on his knees, both hands planted on the quickly wetting floor. The concrete turns bright pink as the liquid pours from the wounds, rolling over his sides. As the screams die down, all becomes silent, except for the constant dripping of his mutated blood.

_Seems... Isis is mor.. Potent than I ev... Imagined..._

Before his back can completely heal, Dusty promptly passes out, bathing in his own blood. As the warrior continues to sleep, the large pool of blood begins to shrink, sinking back into his body, doubling the speed of the healing process. In mere minutes, Dusty Stracener will be back to perfect health.

11

Flame-colored hair jerks around as Aya's ears pick up the sound of a scream, but it is not repeated again, _Must be hearing things... But it sounded so real... So familiar..._

Her thoughts cease as something hard smacks her through the wall. Ribs possibly break as her back slams hard into a mahogany desk, shards of the darkened wood flying around her. A few stick in her hair as Aya climbs to her feet, what she guesses to be Thomas standing before her.

His wings twitter as black orbs gaze upon the lithe woman, the droning buzz almost lulling her to sleep. But she knocks the feeling away, slowly reaching for her gun, then stops that action as a spike is driven through the trigger guard, pinning her only means of defense to the ground.

"Go on... Pick it up..."

Not really wanting to know what is going to happen, but having that drastic need to do something to protect herself, Aya bends down and grasps the spike, but it does not budge. A few more quick jerks, then a frustrated growl, her weapon is lost for good.

"This fight is kinda one sided, isn't it?"

Her enemy smirks, raising both hands to the air, "Do you ssssee me with any weaponsss? Didn't think ssso..."

Before the redhead can retort, another tentacle lands a blow, this one snapping down on her left knee, instantly crippling the young woman, _It was not this hard back then.. He was easily beaten... Now it appears something else drives him... Like he's being controlled by someone far away..._

11

_Why can't I stop? I want a fair fight! Why is my body not responding? It feels like back in Riley.. When Umbrella took brief control of my bo... There's no way, Isis is HCF's creation! This can't be happening!_

Thomas watches as he proceeds to beat the ever-living hell out of the bitch, but he's not satisfied.

11

"Hah! Those bastards have no idea that I kept a strand... It was stored on the Oil Rig Facility.. But my brother's team went in and pretty much ruined that... Who was in control of that lab? Director Newman? But he died, didn't he?"

Neal Donnelly watches the rain as it drops, the thunderstorm coming from nowhere. He realizes he's going to be transferred, but where, he's not quite as sure about... The Neo-Raccoon was just built, they wouldn't send him there, he's positive.. The Lakeshore was just closed... Unless they plan to send him to an over-crowded facility, there's no way he's going to be transferred.

"Damn it, the bastards... The lot of them are getting on my nerves... I'm just about ready to unleash Fusion on the entire city... Hell, the world if the mood strikes me on a bad day... I'll get away scott-free... They'll blame Umbrella.. Just like they did for the Raccoon Incident.. Which happened to be my father's fault for sending in that team to retrieve the samples... Oh the fools, thinking Albert Wesker did that.. No.. The destruction of the old Umbrella was done by my father, Corinth Donnelly..."

Lightning strikes far off in the distance, blinding him for a mere split second, "To think of the irony... The person to strike the last blow against Umbrella was my father, and the first to strike this round just happened to be my own brother..."

_Jesus, how did I become the oddball? My dad and brother destroyed something of Umbrella's, and here I am helping them come back... What the hell happened to my genes?_

Neal shakes the thoughts off, his black ponytail slapping him in the face, "Taxi!"

11

_My god, it's so cold... Can barely breathe.. It feels as though my blood is freezing over, catching in my veins... God, it feels like they're fixing to burst from the pressure... What is Isis doing to me!?_

Dark sienna eyes fly open, a cry of pain flying from the cracked lips, and Dusty slams both fists into the dwindling pink puddle. The pain is unbearable, but he has to endure it, for Aya's sake.

**Dusty's coming back to life, Thomas can't control himself, what else did you expect from me? The old, OMG-Look-a-BOW-let's-kill-it-with-this-massive-gun... What-it-didn't-die? Oh-Shit? Is that what you expected? ****Dawn of a Risin****g ****Tide As a side note for you guys. I finished this a long time ago, and well... Major life changes happened and this seemed to sit on the shelf. Getting the rest posted as soon as I get it reworked into a document I can work with since I don't have Word anymore.**


	8. Dawn of a Rising Tide

High Tide Chapter 8: Dawn of a Rising Tide

Bloody handprints line the hallways and stairwells leading back up the mansion's main floors, a few screams the cause of Dusty's ascent. The screams were female, Aya's screams of terror and pain, something he should be there to prevent... His love should never be in pain, never have to know the torment he's put up with for years... That's what he's there for...

"I'm coming for you baby..."

A sharp pain drives through his neck, crippling the BOW for a few seconds, but enough to allow his hidden attacker to capitalize on his position. Something hard and wet slams into Dusty's back and sides, sending more blood to the already crimson-colored tile. All the reborn mutant can discern over the sounds of blows landing and pain coursing through his body is the sound like something howling, and claws clicking together.

_Has to be one of the tree climbers... How did it escape?_

Chestnut hair flails wildly as he flips to the left, landing on his feet and staring into the sea-green colored pupils of a new breed of Hunter. This is not one of the climbers, maybe the flying ones he encountered on his last trip here. Dusty produces his tentacle and wraps it around the light fixture overhead, using all his strength to shoot up into the air, dodging a claw swipe by dangerously short lengths. Another scream from Aya flutters down the hall, sending a fresh wave of rage through the battered BOW. Dark eyes glare down at the Alpha Hunter and he dives at it, the tentacle retracting for the time being. A single fist slams into the red skull, a heavy crack echoing through the small arena, a signal of Dusty's broken knuckles and wrist.

"Great.." he shakes his hand, the bones reconnecting and healing.

The Alpha Hunter chirps and clacks its talons together, not happy at the pain coursing through its body at the moment. Dusty growls and spins to the left, delivering a fairly strong roundhouse kick to his adversary's face. The bulky neck snaps and the Hunter is left looking at the male from a ninety-degree angle before it drops dead.

The super-human swipes the grime from his hands and slowly ascends the stairs, "Don't worry, Aya, I'm coming for ya!"

11

"You sick, sadistic _fuck_!"

The wasp-like Thomas floats toward Aya, his eyes darting back and forth paranoid-like and he quickly comments on her line, "You know what? I couldn't care lessss what you think of me... Becausssse, I'm going to win, and there iss nothing you can do to ssstop me..."

Aya screams in agonizing pain as she tries to stand to her feet, but the last shot to her knee is starting to make the redhead lose hope of ever leaving here alive, "There's still one thing you're forgetting... When this island blows up, you go with it..."

Beady black orbs lock onto her and the insect flies in close, "I don't care.. I've completed my goal... You and my rival will be dead... All I care about at thisss time..."

The woman shakes her head, the buzzing tone to his voice giving her a brain-splitting migraine. But that pain gives way to an ever greater one as a single spiny arm wraps around her neck, hoisting her an easy two feet off the ground, emerald eyes meeting black.

"Oh come on... Do you really think a mutant as cool as me could be killed by an explosion Thomas?"

Aya and Thomas both jerk their heads toward the new arrival, but Aya drops to the ground as a tentacle easily snaps the bony insect-like appendage. Her head clips the edge of the desk, and the pain sends her straight into unconsciousness.

11

Dusty stares at his enemy, not really concerned with his new form, judging by how the arm severed from the whole so easily. It wasn't even a challenge, which surprises the warrior. Thomas stares at him, ignoring the unconscious woman at his feet, and flies toward Dusty, spikes flying from his shoulders and outstretched arms. The brunette back-flips, places a hand on the ground, spins in place, then pushes off to the right, having successfully dodged every impaler and then the flying wasp.

"Nice try.. Now it's my turn..."

Dusty clasps his hands together, then jumps straight up, disappearing into the ventilation system. _If Thomas is really like a Wasp.. It has no way of finding me short of eyesight and those damn antennae... But I need to be moving for him to sense me, right?_ This is no time to be questioning his own motives, opting to squat perfectly still, using both hands to secure his person. He can hear as his rival begins to shoot spikes straight up, several of them puncturing through the thin metal shaft, and revealing to Dusty that this BOW will not quit until he is dead.

_Just how many of those spikes does he have?_ is the only thought in the chestnut-haired male's mind as he dives down, his tentacle aiming for the small of Thomas's back. But he never gets there as four spiny appendages grasp his chest and arms. Dusty curses his own stupidity as he flies over the insect's body and slams into the tiled walkway hard. Blood lightly fills his mouth as a few teeth are knocked loose, but that's the least of his worries as Thomas leans down, black liquid pouring from the fully-mutated man's mouth.

"Ssseemsss I've got you where I need you to be... You're going to die now Dussty..."

A yawn leaves the pinned person's mouth as he stares straight into the eyes of certain death, "I pulled your brain out, and you became that... You kill me, what will I become? The only way to truly solve this is to cure our infections and fight as truly man-to-man... Unless you want to take the risk and kill me now... Who knows what I'll become? I'd say fighting as mortals means less pain for both of us, and a shorter fight.. It's your choice Buzz... Now decide..."

11

"What the hell is he getting at? I have Dusty right where I want him... But what if he's right? What if he mutates into something stronger?"

Senior Director Darilen just shrugs and leans forward, "Go ahead with your order Brend..."

Research and Development Head Charles Brend sighs and moves the controls, causing Thomas to produce a rather large spike from his left shoulder. The spike is centered on Dusty Stracener's head, the controls pulled back, then throw forward. Crunching metal whines over the speakers, the hit a direct miss.

"No.. There was a one-hundred percent chance to hit! How is that possible?"

The large mahogany doors slam open, Neal Donnelly standing in the way, heavy rain dripping on the red carpeting, "You forget that Thomas can still control his body.. Just not very much... If you replay the footage, you'll see that Dusty's head was moved an inch over, just enough for the weapon to miss its intended target."

The other Directors murmur amongst themselves, not liking this turn of events, "T9 is not going to let you kill his prey. He wants to do it on his own... The knowledge that someone else is trying to get in on his kill just might be enough of a push mentally that Thomas might be able to win this fight... Everything will have flaws, cause it's made by man with the intelligence of man, but give it enough time, and the problems will work themselves out... Drop the controls Brend!"

White Umbrella Director James Caine walks over toward the youngest Board Member, two security guards trailing behind him, "You get out of my sight Donnelly, we don't need your help.. We have everything under control."

A snide chuckle, then a remark to match the laugh, "Is it just me, or is that the same thing that was said before the Raccoon Incident occurred?"

Caine steps back, the shock all too evident. James Caine was the Commander of the Sweeper Team sent in to gather the G-Virus from Dr. Birkin. After his entire team was killed, the same line was spoken by James himself, just before zombies overran the city. Neal attempts to capitalize on this, but several screams from the monitor draw the attention of the entire room to the two fighting BOWs.

_They're going to destroy each other... Leaving Aya to rot in hell... She'll pay for interfering with Doug..._

11

"Why did you save me? You had me right where I had to be, then you saved me..."

Thomas shakes his head, the voices gone for now, "I have my reasons... I want to kill you myself.. No one is going to help me... But for now, we split, find that antidote so we can finish this as we need to..."

He watches as Dusty stops moving, the words striking something, "What do you mean?"

"What are you, deaf? I'm telling you to find the damn antidote for Isis... We can't win in these forms... A mortal fight will decide the real winner... Go, I'll search upstairs, you search down below..."

He watches as the brunette takes off, with Aya in tow. Umbrella was just controlling him, the voices almost too much to bear, but now they're gone, leaving him to do as he pleases. That damn company must've put something in the virus, or back when he joined the UBCS... But whatever it is, it's not there anymore... And Thomas is thankful for that, which allows him to piss whoever was controlling him off by allowing Dusty to escape for the time being.

_He's not going to get the antigen... Even if he does, I'm not gonna let him hit me..._

11

Dusty, having done what he does best, not follow orders, walks toward the lone boat at the dock of Isle New Eras, and sits Aya down in the driver's seat. He rubs one hand across her face and she stirs, large emerald eyes meeting dark brown.

"Hey... What's going on?"

The mutant smiles and swipes a few strands of auburn hair from her round face, "I want you to leave... Take this boat and go.. Get back to the mainland... Call this number," he drops a bent card in her outstretched palm, "he'll know what to do... Bye babe... I love you..."

Before Aya can even respond, or compose a thought, chestnut hair is flying back toward the mansion, his thoughts locked on his friend's safe escape and that antigen, _Please forgive me Aya... I might not be back this time..._

Death has been on his mind ever since he woke up in his ransacked apartment, but now the looming shadow of the Pale Horse is more real than ever. Saliva gets caught in the male's throat, almost as if the Reaper himself is strangling the life from him. Isis has saved his life maybe three or four times so far, but this next mortal blow might be the last. That is the real danger plaguing Dusty's body as he runs back into Host Mansion, then down the stairs, hoping to find something to better his odds.

_As I see them... It's Thomas as favorite by odds of 3 gagillion to negative infinity... These are odds I don't like..._

11

Aya stares before her at the controls for the speed boat, not really sure what is going on. She remembers fighting Thomas, then waking up here with Dusty telling her to leave and call this...

The card is unfolded, "Leon Kennedy? Who?"

Orange hair flutters as the young woman attempts to stand up, but she watches as the waves crash against the vehicle, sending her farther from the dock of Isle New Eras. A gasp leaves her lips as she attempts to dive into the dark ocean, but another waves smacks the small boat around, sending Aya down into the seat.

"Dusty," a slender hand pulls matted red hair from her eyes, "you son of a bitch... Why would you leave me...?"

She growls and punches the headrest of the seat, a snarl fading into sobs, "You better come back to me... You better!"

Her scream echoes off into the air, finally becoming masked by the crashing ocean waves, "Wait..."

The wounded woman stands up and watches the water crash on the beach, "The tide is rising... At this rate... The whole island could be flooded before dawn arrives..."

She's right, in the past three minutes, the tide has crawled up the beach three feet. A quick math formula passes through her head and she arrives at an answer, Isle New Eras is going to be underwater in three hours.

_You better come back to me alive Dusty... It doesn't matter what you come back to me as... Just return to me in one piece..._

11

"What does that sign say?"

Dusty pulls his glasses from his pocket and slides them on, the left lens cracked horribly, "Oh... Viral Research and Development... Damn it, I'm blind..."

Sienna hair fluctuates as Dusty turns to his left, running down the metal hall, his brown eyes keeping a look-out for the Mutagen/Antigen room. His black boots grind to halt as he finds the room, a single wooden door resting between him and his goal.

"Open, sesame..." mumbles the mutant as a tanned tentacle is slammed through it, wooden splinters bouncing off everything in the immediate area.

Before the invader lies an empty room, only a single glass case lying before him, the contents hidden behind frosted glass. Another swift movement and faded shards fly around, a rather large gun, sniper rifle in appearance, lies before him.

"DCA... DNA Conceived Antigen... Prototype A1.. Oh, this seems safe..."

The sarcasm is heavy in the air as Dusty picks the gun up, his hand fitting perfectly into the pre-molded grip. A snap, then the male grunts in pain, a clear vial inside the grip filling with his pink blood.

"_Sample Taken, Antigen Will Be Conceived In Twenty-Three Seconds._"

"Oh.. Catchy... Well, what can I do for twenty seconds?"

Not much can be done as before he knows it, the gun beeps and two vials of yellow liquid pop from the top of the weapon, light frost falling from the crystal containers. Both of them are pocketed and the gun is hefted over his shoulder. The weight is more than Dusty imagines it to be, but is nothing his Isis-infused blood can't handle.

"Now... Thomas, the Pale Horse rides for thee..."

11

"Well... Now the game begins... He's smart.. I'll give him that..." two spike-covered legs cross and rest on top of the desk, twelve beady eyes watching the monitors. "He hasn't used one on himself yet... He's probably going to use one on me, then himself.. Just to be assured of his victory..."

Thomas extends a hand toward the keyboard and types in, "Arach."

"_Arachnid Cages Opened..._"

Black eyes close simultaneously as a smile crinkles the scaled yellow skin, "Have fun Dusty..."

11

Dusty's ears perk as he hears metal slam, so as a reflex, brown eyes are closed and he breathes in deeply. The sound of hundreds of padded thumps reach his ears from all around him, then a crescendo of hisses reveal the hunters.

"Damn it.. Why spiders? Why not fluffy bunnies of doom? I utterly _hate_ eight-legged insects..." A smirk plays on his lips, "Well, especially ones that can crush me..."

He rounds the corner, then shoulder rolls to the left, dodging two rather large fangs and a blast of webbing from the HCF-Spider lying in wait for its first meal. Thumps race after him as the mutant continues his charge down the hall, trying to get back up the stairs. To his left, four more spiders emerge, all of them looking hungrier than the first.

_I'm not becoming a web-sandwich.. Not for these things... Gotta get out of here..._

The thought crosses his mind in an instant, then he's diving for the stairwell, his free hand reaching for the doorknob. But he can't go any farther as his legs are pinned to the ground by a glob of gooey adhesive.

"Son of a bitch..." growls the mutant with mirth, then he proceeds to cut his way out with the viral-gun and his own tentacle.

A hiss overpowers any thoughts he might have had as the nearest arachnid, a purple and black one to be exact, closes in, baring its fangs in anticipation. But, its head crushes in a loud crunching sound as the butt of the rifle is slammed into its face.

Above the chittering of the shocked enemies, a triumphant yell is overheard, "I am NOT gonna die to you bitches! I'm not!"

Webbing flies as Dusty tears his way through the bindings, then he rushes up the stairs, the heavy metal door shutting behind him, _Kill the leader, the rest retreat..._

"Thomas! Get your ass out here now!"

A door a few floors up groans on unoiled hinges as Thomas laughs from overhead, "You have no chance of beating me... I'm perfect..."

Dusty's chocolate eyes watch as the insectoid human flies overhead, in prime position to be shot with the antigen. That shot never comes as one of his enemy's favorite weapons snaps the rifle from his grip. Dusty drops the vial from the sudden attack, the yellow liquid crashing back and forth in the vial as it settles on the sanguine carpeting.

"Not so fast.. I only let you search for the cure because I thought you'd inject yourself first..."

A smile flashes up at the wasp, "You underestimated the intellect of a country-boy... Now, shall we go at this one last time?"

Thomas floats high above him, but the nod is unmistakable. The mutated Asian screams and dive-bombs toward the hero of this situation, but he is swatted away as Dusty swings the gun like a baseball bat. A wet crack reverberates off the walls of the mansion lobby, then is replaced by thuds as Thomas bounces around on the floor.

"Heh... Gotta love baseball..." chuckles the male as he walks toward the grounded flyer, another vial of the cure in his grip.

Before anything can be done with said miracle cure, a foot is shoved into Dusty's chest, sending him flying back this time. Concrete shatters as he careens through one of the pillars holding the upper balconies up. Toxic dust fills the air as Dusty coughs, then stands up, the vial still loose in his grip.

"Well, we're one for one... And you've yet to hit me with that 'cure'..." smirks Thomas as his wings twitter.

The brunette steps over a chunk of the pillar and runs at his adversary, a haunted expression to his face, _You've chased me for too long... It's time for the ghosts to leave me alone for once..._

Dusty has come to recognize some things will stick with him forever... Things are just meant to be this way, but when something can be dealt with, he's going to do his best to correct it... Dusty screams and raises his arm, preparing to throw the vial.

11

_You've chased me for too long... It's time for the ghosts to leave me alone for once..._

That thought shocks Thomas, he just heard a thought that was not his own. This causes him to freeze in place, time slowing down to the point where it's painful. Dusty pulls his arm back, the vial gleaming from the artificial lighting overhead. The scowl on his enemy's face brings back memories from when he first met the brunette now fixing to deliver the final blow. Time speeds up as his arm flies forward, then drops down to a snail's pace... Black eyes watch as the crystal weapon flips through the air, not wanting to be in this spot, but he can't move. Glass shatters as Thomas Weidick's world turns yellow.

**NYAH! I'm leaving you at a cliff hangar... You got a longer chapter than I intended.. But just had to get the fight started before I pop out the last chapter... Warning: One Hour left before Isle New Eras is under water...**


	9. Tell Me, is it Over Now?

Chapter Nine: Tell Me, is it Over Now?

Salt is heavy in the damp air, the clouds dark and menacing above, with the sounds of threatening waves underneath. This is what Aya Akechi now sits in, too far out to swim back, but the waves hitting her on all sides, stopping any hopes of moving. Now all she can do is watch as the island that holds her love slowly succumbs to the rising sea.

"Why am I still here? I know the waves are stopping me, but I feel I'm holding myself here... Why?"

The answer doesn't come from the waves, the clouds, the boat, nor the salt in the air... Nothing seems to have the answer she so desperately needs. Dusty is still there, possibly dead, but most likely still fighting a losing battle with their stalker. Jade eyes slowly shut and a silent prayer is mumbled for the brunette left behind. After that, there really isn't much more she can do. The boat houses nothing to cover her up from the oncoming storm, so the ex-scientist is bound to get pneumonia or a dreadful cold.

_What the hell kinda boat doesn't even have flares I can play with? This is some bullshit..._

A laugh escapes her lips, Aya is more like Dusty than she realizes. But that is something she is quite mad about: Having flares would mean she'd have something to do, and would also give her a chance to have the Coast Guard find her. The event with the Coast Guard at Isle Eras replays in her mind.

"The Coast Guard was bought by HCF back then.. What makes me so sure they're not now?"

Great, Aya is talking to herself. The HCF scientist sighs and looks down at the carpeted floor. Thunder rumbles high overhead, and then the wind picks up, chilling the soaked woman to her core. Porcelain teeth clatter together as the cold sinks in. Whether she wants it or not, Aya will have some form of a cold tomorrow...

_If I live until tomorrow..._

11

"Isis-Vaccine for the win!" cheers Dusty as he walks over toward his defeated enemy.

A brown gaze locks on the defeated male lying before him, all of the wasp-like material gone, dissipated into a pool of muck and gunk around the Asian individual. A sneer zips across Dusty's face as he proceeds to kick the wounded mutant in the chest several times.

"This is for all the times you've caused me pain... Mine, Leon's, Claire's.. And AYA'S pain!"

Blood flies from the raven-haired man's mouth, some of it splashing across the brunette's boots. Thomas coughs several times before managing to speak, even though the words are raspy and half-mumbles.

"You've done enough... Go ahead and finish me... Take me from the mortal plane... I can almost hear my mother calling..."

Neither of them can do anything as the roughly thirty-five windows of the lobby shatter, crystal glass raining down upon them. A few shards slice through Dusty's body, but the cuts instantly shut, then the rush of cold water and the heavy scent of salt surrounds him. Thomas's body slaps across Dusty's, both of them flapping around in the cobalt-shaded box. Before too long, the entire lobby of Host Mansion is underwater.

11

_Crap... The Tide.. They warned us about this... Curse Umbrella for selling us this island... But they didn't tell us it would get this high.. They just told us it would flood the BOW Islands..._

Thomas Weidick can barely compose a thought as his beaten frame is slammed across pillars, walls, even balconies. His hand dives into the main pocket of his vest, pulls out a small device, then slams down on the button. The auto-destruct sequence should kick in within five minutes.. But, after the whole flooding-thing, Thomas really can't trust Umbrella's work.

_You're going to go with me Dusty... One way or another..._

11

Bubbles fly toward the ceiling as Dusty looks around for any way to escape. The male comes across one of the windows near the top, most of the glass missing, so he won't receive any cuts. The last Isis-Cure is popped into Dusty's mouth and he bites down on the glass, it shattering instantly. Blood fills his mouth, but he can't taste it, as the antigen overpowers his senses. Weakened arms flap, trying to propel the victorious fighter toward the surface. His vision turns purple as blood begins to pour from his mouth, but Dusty just ignores it and continues to swim, he has to get back to Aya... He can't leave her with no one, it goes against his nature.

_Plus, I have worked too damn hard at this relationship to let it end like this... I AM coming back to you.. I am!_

Dusty is just a few short feet from his escape when bright white light fills the mansion, then an explosion sends his body flying upwards dangerously. A dull crack dies off as the male's head connects with the plaster roof, and it gives way, the unconscious male still flying upward through the shifting water.

11

Aya screams in pain as a piece of metal flies from the water and slices her head, severing her scalp from her skull. Crimson blood pours down her round face as she applies both hands to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding at all costs... There's no Hemo around, so she can't stop the bloodfall medically, all Aya has now is a wish and a prayer to save her life. The boat shifts and roars to life as one of her reddening hands starts the ignition. Aya clambers over the seat and drops one tired arm across the throttle, the boat roaring across the ocean surface. Random pieces of metal and dirt slap the marine-cruiser as Aya slowly passes out from the bloodloss.

_I'm sorry Dusty... I might be the one to break our promise to.. To... Sur..._

**Roughly Two Hours Later**

"What is it?"

The Naval-Cruiser slowly grinds to a halt as one of the fresh recruits spots the dead boat, a single woman lying in the seat. Dried blood covers her face and most of her body, but that is really all anyone on the ship can see from here. Chains rattle as a life boat is dropped the thirteen feet to the surface, three crewmen aboard. The small engine starts up and the rescuers are sent toward the derelict vessel.

"Sir, I doubt she is alive... There's too much blood."

The leader of the small rescue crew sighs and replies, "We're going to get her anyway... Her family would like to know she's dead..."

The rest of the short ride is silent, the doctor slowly opening and closing the first aid box. The seas are calm now, not nearly as threatening as they were before. That was a nasty storm, one of the worst the mid-Atlantic has seen in a long time.

"This is weird.. She's laying right where there's supposed to be an island... Oh well... Up we go Miss..."

The three men lift the mysterious redheaded woman up and make their way back over toward their ship, the motor boat whining loudly as it crashes against the wake of its mother ship. Chains rattle yet again as the lifeboat is lifted back up, with one extra passenger this time.

"Get a stretcher!"

One is rushed toward them and the woman is laid down upon it, the Captain of the USS Parasite gazing down at her beaten body, "What the hell happened to you...?"

The question remains unanswered as she is unconscious, hell, they don't even know if she's alive at this point. A small team of medics speed the occupied stretcher away, leaving a few gawking men.

Captain John Trams snorts and says, "If I catch any of you near that medical floor, you'll be court-marshaled faster than I can put my foot up your ass..."

11

_Dusty... Dusty no... _"DUSTY!"

Trays of medical supplies are dropped as the three doctors are shocked at her sudden outburst. Aya looks around, her body hurting really bad. Flashes of her wounds pass by, her hands flowing to each area. A lithe hand rests on the stitches on her scalp, the stitches on her left side, and her right arm.

"Those are gonna take some time to heal, young lady... Haha.."

Green eyes jerk to the open door, an elderly man standing in the doorway, "Sorry.. Didn't mean to spook you there child... I'm Tyler Shiner... Doctor Shiner if you wish... You were brought here by the crew of the USS Parasite... I believe you are..." he opens a small folder, "Aya Akechi right?"

Aya nods, a sigh escaping her lips, "What about Dusty?"

White eyebrows furrow as a confused expression fills his wrinkled features, "I am sorry?"

Nothing else is needed said, tears forming in her large eyes, sobs shaking her frame, "He said he would come back to me this time... It was a promise... Dusty!"

Wrinkled brows crease as Dr. Shiner walks up to the young woman, wiping a string of tears from her emerald eyes, "Pretty eyes such as yours should never be stained by sorrow..."

Aya frowns even deeper and huffs, repositioning her body as to relieve some slight pain in her back, "That, would be where we extracted some marrow to repair that gash along your hairline... All of those scars will heal in time Miss Akechi."

The redhead nods slowly, not wanting to aggravate her stitches, "So, how long am I going to be here?"

"I," he stumbles for the words, "honestly do not know... From how you were screaming in your sleep, we're going to have to bring in a psychiatrist to talk with..."

Sparks flash in her eyes as she reaches out to the elderly doctor, "No. What I have to say will get me immediately committed..."

"Ah, seems there is cause for alarm... You want to tell me what you've been through?"

"You know of Umbrella?"

"Yes," he sighs, "they fund our hospital..."

A chuckle, "Then you don't want to hear what I got to say."

Dr. Shiner nods slowly and grasps her shaking hands, "I am sure you'll tell me when the time comes... For now, I'll see about canceling that shrink, okay?"

The scarlet-haired woman smiles and nods, "There's that smile Miss Akechi..."

She laughs as Dr. Shiner walks off, he reminds her a lot of Dusty...

_That just ruined my good mood..._

Her jade eyes rest on the folder at the foot of her bed, and she reaches for it. A few whimpers leave her lips as the scars and stitches stretch, but she manages to achieve her goal.

"Name, Aya Akechi.. Sex, Female. Age, roughly 25 to 35... Boy, they suck at ages... Admitted... Four Months ago? Holy shit..."

The folder bounces off the mattress and clatters to the floor, the papers fluttering around like dead feathers. A few nurses peek in, but a scowl sends them back to their work. A few cracked nails are tapped on the metal rail on her bed as teeth grind together. The more Aya thinks on how long she's been here, the more a realization hits her.

"Dusty is dead... He would've come see me by now..."

A phone rings outside her room, one of the nurses she scared off answering it, "Fort Kearny Hospital. Who? Let me check... You know an Aya Akechi?"

Another voice, Dr. Shiner's, picks up, "Yeah, I'll tell her..."

A slender eyebrow is raised as her new friend steps in, "Please grab that phone and press nine-three... It's for you... Surprisingly..."

The phone is picked off its cradle and the two buttons are pressed, "Hello?"

"I know our second date wasn't all that great babe... Wanna try again? I know a great place in town..."

All thoughts come to a crashing halt as she desperately tries to prove that voice is who she thinks it is, but is only able to come up with, "Su.. Sure... When?"

Her door is yet again pushed open, a rather stocky shape standing in the doorway, one she's grown to know so well, "When you start feeling better of course..."

Aya smiles, tears running down her eyes as Dusty himself drops down at the side of her bed, embracing her in a light hug, "How did you survive?"

Her love just chuckles and strokes her hair, watching out for the stitches on her hairline, "I had no choice but to survive... To come back to you... I made a promise to you after all..."

The woman sighs and takes in a deep breath, the smile never leaving her lips, "I've missed you so much.. There is a lot we need to talk about..."

"I know..." Dusty wraps both arms around her neck, kissing her lightly on the cheek, "But for now, you need to rest... I'll come by everyday... I got a room at the hotel a few blocks down from the base..."

"Can you stay with me today?"

11

"Always..."

Aya lies back down, her left hand intertwined with her love's right. He squeezes it gently, a smile plastered to his face. Dusty is just so happy to have been able to keep his promise...

_Now everything is perfect... Just as it should be... Nothing can go wrong from here..._

"Oh..." Aya looks down at Dusty, "I forgot, when we get back to the house, we're gonna have a new resident living with us..."

The chestnut-haired warrior arches an eyebrow, "Who?"

A smile, "A seven year-old kid named Sean... Sean Donnelly..."

_Son of a..._ "I'm sure he'll be lovely... How does he eat?"

His love laughs, "Like you."

_I'm not fighting for food with him..._

**Three Months Later**

"Sean! Drop that crescent roll!"

A small child runs around the backyard, Dusty in tow a few feet behind, "You gotta catch me first dad!"

The brunette growls and jumps to the left, stepping in front of the smaller child, "I told myself I was not going to fight with you over the food..."

"Then why are you chasing me?"

"You ate them ALL! I wanted one!"

Sean smirks and shoves the entire piece of bread into his mouth, smiling up at the guy he has learned to call dad. Dusty growls and stomps a foot, his face turning red.

"I know how to solve this... AYA! Sean ate all the crescent rolls!"

The child gasps, but smirks as Aya calls back, "I called you to dinner twenty minutes ago.. That's what ya get for not coming down when I told you!"

Dusty hangs his head, then pushes a finger into the child's chest, "I will get all the bread next time..."

Sean snorts and retorts, "Not if I eat the bread as it comes out of the toaster..."

"Ah? You wouldn't!"

"Try me dad."

Dusty huffs and glares down at Sean, who in turn huffs and glares up at Dusty. Aya watches this from inside the house, smiling the entire time. She knew this was a good choice to bring him home, Dusty now has a younger version of himself to hang out with.

"Let's hope it stays this way.. Happy and peaceful and such..."

Her green eyes rest on a plaque her husband placed above the sink, the phrase foreboding and cynical.

_Though We Hope for Promising Years, After Shedding a Thousand Tears, Yesterday's Sorrow Constantly Nears..._

**There we go.. High Tide Done... Review now if you haven't yet... With this being the end of the story, I would hope you've reviewed at least one chapter...**

**Shakahnna and Hyperactive Hamster of Doom both have given me several ideas for creatures, plot twists, and such... Both of you ladies have been such a help and a pleasure... Thank you so much.**


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